Why Connectivity Makes the West Midlands Irresistible

A huge contributor to global automotive innovation is HORIBA MIRA. They’ve been changing the face of the automotive industry since the association was incorporated in 1946. After incorporation, they spent two years evaluating over 40 potential sites to make their home, including Silverstone and Donnington, before selecting a former airbase near Nuneaton as the perfect location.

The 650-acre location spread into the English countryside and was soon filled with runways, tracks, and wind tunnels (with the wind tunnels being instrumental in helping cyclist Chris Boardman win the Olympic gold medal, using Mira’s facilities and expertise to perfect the airflow around him and his bike).

In 2017, HORIBA MIRA partnered with the nearby Coventry University to launch the Centre for Connected & Autonomous Automotive Research, leaning on the academic knowledge that the university provided. These researchers, Mira’s own engineering teams, and other leading industry players began to test connected vehicle technology in real-world conditions.

Four years later, Mira’s connected autonomous vehicles (CAV) testing capabilities expanded again. They worked with WMG, Transport for West Midlands, Vodaphone, Highways England and more to create 300km of CAV-enabled public roads stretching between Coventry and Birmingham. The West Midlands is the first 5G testbed in the UK, enabling the ultrafast 5G mobile private network necessary across these roadways.

So, what has HORIBA MIRA gained by choosing the West Midlands? Access to a seamless transport spine spanning motorway junctions like Spaghetti Junction, M6, and M42, plus access to HS2, West Midlands Metro, and the rail networks – all converging around R&D and test campuses. Easy access to Birmingham Airport for international meetings. Partnerships that emerged naturally – with Coventry University, with Viritech and REE Automotive. Its crash-test facilities and CAV proving grounds are easily accessed by partners from across Europe. They’re embedded in a region moving toward the future.

Because we’re moving towards the future, connectivity isn’t static in the West Midlands – it’s evolving. While HS2 dominates the minds of the public and private sectors, our intercity transport and metro systems are also evolving, becoming catalysts for growth.

Just over a year ago, a bold vision began to take shape on the eastern edge of Birmingham. The site was the long-disused Birmingham Wheels Park – a forgotten corner of the city. But where others saw dereliction, Tom Wagner saw potential.

Acting as the figurehead for Birmingham City Football Club’s new ownership, Wagner led the charge to acquire the site. His ambition? To build not just a stadium, but a legacy – a new home for BCFC and the beating heart of a wider Sports Quarter that could transform this part of the city. Speaking ambitiously, he made it known he wished to see the construction completed in the next five years.

But Wagner’s vision didn’t stop at the touchline. Recognising that accessibility would be key to unlocking the full potential of the site, he partnered with Richard Parker, the Mayor of the West Midlands, to bring the government to the table. Together, they secured funding for a new metro extension – a line that will connect the future stadium and its surrounding Sports Quarter directly to the city centre.

It couldn’t have come at a better time. Tram and light rail journeys surged past eight million in 2024 – a 53.7% jump on the previous year and a clear sign that people are embracing greener, better-connected ways to travel. New lines are already opening up growth corridors between Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and Dudley – places where universities, research labs and innovation districts are taking root.

When the new extension is complete, the Sports Quarter will sit just a short ride from Curzon Street Station and the Arden Cross Interchange – two key stops on the HS2 line. In less than 40 minutes, fans, students, and business travellers will be able to get onto a train in London and step off again in the heart of a transformed Birmingham.

What began as a stadium is quickly becoming something much more: a symbol of regeneration, ambition, and the power of partnership to shape a city’s future.