Kenilworth's Keene named ‘Industry Legend’ as Aurrigo win two titles at the Self-Driving Industry Awards
A Kenilworth entrepreneur who is helping the UK to lead the autonomous vehicle race has been named as an ‘Industry Legend’.
David Keene, CEO of Aurrigo International plc, was given the prestigious honour at the Self- Driving Industry Awards 2026 recently, beating off the competition from some of the biggest names in the sector.
He was praised by the high-profile judging panel for the way his Coventry-based business has created a range of vehicles that are helping solve ‘first and last mile’ transport solutions and, importantly, transforming the way luggage, cargo and passengers are moving around airports.
It was a double celebration for the former automotive expert, with his business also claiming the ‘Industrial Design’ title for its Auto-Cargo® vehicle, which is capable of carrying a standard cargo pallet or four ULDs with a 4500kg onboard capacity and the option of towing an additional 12,000kg trailer.
This breakthrough self-driving technology has the capacity to replace thousands of existing ‘cargo trucks’ seen across every airport in the world.
“There’s no better honour than being recognised by your peers for your achievements…it is a very special moment,” explained Professor David Keene, MBE.
“When we pivoted to designing, developing and building our own autonomous vehicles I had the vision that we would be first to market and deploying our tech in real-world scenarios.”
He continued: “This was never about building self-driving cars, we’ll leave that to the really big boys. Our approach has been about applying our solutions to end-use cases that can make an immediate difference, and we can scale quickly enough to make it a reality.
“It’s a belief that has already been realised, with Auto-Cargo® and Auto-DollyTug® deployed on live trials at nine airports across the world, delivering cost, operational and environmental savings.
“This ‘Industry Legend’ Award is for all the people who have helped us on this amazing journey and the current 120-strong workforce that is going to take us to the next level.”
Cars of the Future Editor Neil Kennett, on behalf of the 2026 Self-Driving Industry Awards judging panel, added his support: “The judges receive a long list of deserving recipients for this Award and 2026 was no different.
“However, this year, we unanimously agreed on a visionary business leader. One of the first stories ever published on ‘Cars of the Future’, way back in March 2019, described how a Coventry autonomous vehicle specialist had partnered with Blind Veterans UK for a world first trial.
“Five years later, we did a Big Interview with David Keene, and it quickly became apparent that, under his leadership, Aurrigo was destined to change the world of aviation forever.
“Not only is he taking on big international rivals and winning, he is also hugely committed to doing this with the heart of the business still in the UK, creating 50 new jobs in the last year and overseeing the relocation to a new 130,615 sq ft Advanced Engineering Centre in Coventry. These are just a few of the reasons why we feel he is an ‘Industry Legend’.”
Auto-Cargo® claimed the Industrial Design Award earlier in the evening at the Turner Contemporary in Margate, impressing judges with how it combines sleek and futuristic aesthetics with outstanding functionality.
The vehicle integrates a host of sensors and LIDARS into the sharp lines, with the colour pattern supporting Aurrigo’s desire to build an unmistakable aviation brand.
Whilst the vehicle had to look the part, some of the biggest design achievements have come from its industry-leading performance.
Led by Chief Designer Elliott Hawkins and Chief Technology Officer Simon Brewerton, the team sat down with industry colleagues to address the biggest pain points for existing large cargo vehicles.
This resulted in vital intelligence that has been built into Auto-Cargo®, including optimised weight distribution, the ability to operate under the wing, four-wheel steering to allow docking in congested aviation environments and a powered roller deck to automate loading and unloading. The latter avoids human strain of moving four-tonne containers.
Importantly, it has never been a prototype vehicle. It has instead been designed, from day one, to be operational in the field and able to be safely deployed airside at major airports and cargo depots.
David concluded: “Auto-Cargo went straight into operations at East Midlands Airport, one of the busiest cargo airports in the UK. It is now undergoing extensive testing at Teesside, reinforcing our business case for the use of autonomous vehicles to transport large cargo items.
“The Industrial Design Award proves you can make something that looks good but also surpasses all operational performance in a very congested and complex environment. It is a major endorsement that we are building tech that is making a real-world difference.”
The Self-Driving Industry Awards, run by Cars of the Future, celebrate excellence in automated mobility, connected transport, and autonomous vehicle (AV) deployment.
For further information, please visit their website.