Test & measurement
POWERING PROGRESS FOR 2025 AND BEYOND
Marking a quarter of the way through the century, 2025 represents a checkpoint for many global manufacturing and sustainability goals. But how close are we to meeting them? Here, Ross Turnbull, director of Business Development and Product Engineering at ASIC design and supply specialist Swindon Silicon Systems, investigates the progress made thus far and how a better connected, custom IC-driven world may enable future advancement.
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025 has frequently been cited as a landmark year, with several global goals using the year as a checkpoint. For instance, industries such as electric vehicles (EVs) and artificial intelligence (AI) were projected to experience
significant development by 2025. With this year fast-approaching, it is worth taking a look at the state of key targets, the hurdles still ahead and the advanced technologies driving future progress.
THE BIG SWITCH TO EVS
One of the most ambitious goals for the next decade concerns the transition to EVs, a shift deemed crucial for reducing carbon emissions and combatting climate change.
However, challenges such as limited battery range, inadequate charging infrastructure and supply chain bottlenecks for critical materials like lithium are slowing progress. For instance, Toyota recently cut its annual output target of 1.5 million EVs by 2026 down by a third, stating it was more of a reference point than a goal. Similarly, Volvo, once committed to becoming fully electric by 2030, now anticipates hybrids could still constitute ten per cent of its output by this date. Despite this, the transition towards EVs is progressing. According to the Global Electric Vehicle Tracker, fully electric vehicles accounted for one in seven cars sold worldwide in mid-2024. The growing popularity of EVs is due in part to advancements in battery technology and the integration of advanced sensors, which enable
features such as tyre pressure monitoring, optimised battery management and assisted braking. Governments across the globe have also incentiv- ised the shift with subsidies and investments in charging infrastructure. In the UK, the switch to EVs is backed by the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate that became law in January 2024. The ZEV mandate sets clear targets to ensure that, by 2035, all new cars and vans sold are zero emission vehicles.
A GREENER FUTURE
Achieving carbon neutrality also stands out as one of the defining goals of the 21st century. A decade ago, the Paris Agreement established a critical goal to limit global warming to well below 2°C, prefer- ably to 1.5°C, above pre-industrial levels. In line with this agreement, the 196 participating parties are required to submit Nationally Determined Contribu- tions (NDCs) indicating their specific plans to work
towards this goal every five years. However, the first global stocktake of the Paris Agreement, conducted at COP28 in 2023, revealed that the world is not on target to meet this goal. One key benchmark outlined in the agreement was for global carbon emissions to peak by 2025, but this is yet to happen and recent data shows that fossil fuel emissions continue to rise.
Recognising this, the UK government has made notable strides toward its legally binding target of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. At COP29 in Baku, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced an ambitious update to the UK’s previous NDC, committing to an 81 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. Transitioning towards renewable energy, as outlined in the Great British Energy Bill, is central to achieving this goal.
SMARTER MANUFACTURING
Also key to meeting sustainability targets is the inte- gration of smarter, more sustainable manufacturing processes. Over the last decade, Industry 4.0 has revolutionised manufacturing by integrating
January 2025 Instrumentation Monthly
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