These robotic partners were hailed as'the future of work', particularly in the manufacturing sector, but concerns about widespread robotic implementation are rife. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) in March claim that 1.5 million people in England alone are at risk of losing their jobs to automation, suggesting that these fears are justified. However, automation can actually help manufacturers thrive and survive many of the workforce challenges they currently face. These include the'crippling skills shortage', which continues to blight the industry, and is putting workforces under increased pressure. At the same time, tougher immigration rules, associated with the UK's imminent departure from the EU, means that working in the UK will become less attractive or accessible for foreign nationals.

A world where there are no car accidents, congestion is a thing of the past, and artificial intelligence (AI)and Internet of Things drive the future are no longer wishful thinking. It's a reality that German-based companies like Bosch is pushing and could be happening in as little as five years. At Bosch's annual press conference held earlier this year, Dr Volker Denner, chairman of the board of management for Bosch, outlined the company's future strategic plans for automated cars and the impact AI and the IoT will have on many things in the not-too-distant future. How serious is the company in pressing innovation in this space? This year the company added 500 more engineers to work on its automated driving projects, which means it has more than 3000 specialists working in this arena.