---
title: "Autonomous vehicle PHD research"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0603b8"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0603b8"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0603b8.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0603b8.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DRIVER AND VEHICLE STANDARDS AGENCY"
published: "2026-01-12"
---

# Autonomous vehicle PHD research

Buyer: DRIVER AND VEHICLE STANDARDS AGENCY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0603b8

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0603b8)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0603b8.json)

## Summary

The procurement process initiated by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency focuses on a PhD research project entitled "Autonomous vehicle PHD research" aimed at developing methods for validating autonomous vehicle safety and compliance. The industry category falls under education and training services, with the University of Surrey participating as the supplier. Located in the UK, this procurement is at the "complete" stage as of 12 January 2026, following the contract period set to commence on 1 April 2026 and conclude on 31 March 2029. The procurement was executed through a direct method, being below threshold and without competition, as defined under the legal basis of the UKPGA 2023/54.

This tender presents a substantial opportunity for educational and research institutions, particularly those with expertise in autonomous vehicles and regulatory compliance, to contribute to developing critical methodologies for AV validation and safety assurance. Businesses within the education and training services sector, especially SMEs with innovative research capabilities, can leverage such projects to bolster their portfolios, enhance their industry reputation, and drive growth through collaborative government projects. The initiative is designed to address significant regulatory challenges, offering participating companies a chance to influence future standards and practices in the rapidly evolving AV industry.

## Notice

As autonomous vehicle (AV) technologies progress toward real-world deployment, regulatory agencies face the pressing challenge of ensuring that these systems operate safely and in compliance with the driving standards. There is currently a lack of robust, interpretable methodologies for evaluating AV behaviour in both real and simulated environments--particularly in edge-case scenarios that pose the greatest risk to public safety. To address this gap, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is requesting to co-funding a PhD studentship titled Digital Commentary Driving for Regulatory Compliance and Risk Assessment in Autonomous Vehicles, which aims to develop novel, evidence-based methods for AV validation.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002281-2026 |
| Notice type | UK7 - Contract Details Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - without competition |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 12 Jan 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 23 Dec 2025 |
| Contract period | 31 Mar 2026 - 31 Mar 2029 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £47,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DRIVER AND VEHICLE STANDARDS AGENCY |
| Locality | BRISTOL |
| Post town | Bristol |
| Postcode | BS5 0DA |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK5 West of England |
| ITL 3 | TLK51 Bristol, City of |
| Local authority | Bristol, City of |
| Electoral ward | Lawrence Hill |
| Westminster constituency | Bristol East |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | UNIVERSITY OF SURREY |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 80 - Education and training services

### Codes

- 80000000 - Education and training services

## Release History

- 12 Jan 2026 at 13:44 - Award - UK7 - Contract Details Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002281-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/002281-2026
  12th January 2026 - Contract details notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0603b8. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0603b8.json.