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The “Smart Highway” project (a collaboration between Studio Roosegaarde, a design lab based in the Netherlands, and engineers from Heijmans Infrastructure) is one of several recent efforts to make roads smarter, safer, and more energy efficient. This year, the group is preparing to make a 300-meter test road with glowing lane markers and weather-warning paint. Check out the gallery on the “Smart Highway” and/or read about more intelligent road projects here.

Click here to enter the gallery.

The people behind the "Smart Highway" project developed glow-in-the-dark paint that could be used instead of street lamps, saving electricity and cash. In tests, it shines for up to 10 hours at night.

Prototype: Glow-in-the-Dark Lines

The people behind the “Smart Highway” project developed glow-in-the-dark paint that could be used instead of street lamps, saving electricity and cash. In tests, it shines for up to 10 hours at night.
The group developed paint that only appears when the temperature is below freezing—perfect for warning motorists about possibly icy terrain. Later this year, they plan to test out a prototype road with both glowing paint and temperature-reactive paint.

Prototype: Road May Be Icier Than It Appears

The group developed paint that only appears when the temperature is below freezing—perfect for warning motorists about possibly icy terrain. Later this year, they plan to test out a prototype road with both glowing paint and temperature-reactive paint.
When's the last time the road told you the weather?

Temperature-Reactive Paint

When’s the last time the road told you the weather?
Drivers could charge their electric cars through magnetic induction in special lanes. (In fact, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has an induction-charged bus on its campus already.)

Charging Up

Drivers could charge their electric cars through magnetic induction in special lanes. (In fact, the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology has an induction-charged bus on its campus already.)
Constantly lighting roads with little traffic is a waste of electricity—and municipal dollars. Proximity sensors could flip lights on and off as needed.

Reactive Lights

Constantly lighting roads with little traffic is a waste of electricity—and municipal dollars. Proximity sensors could flip lights on and off as needed.
Wind energy from passing cars could be harnessed by small turbines and used for lighting.

Updraft Power

Wind energy from passing cars could be harnessed by small turbines and used for lighting.
Someday, the lines on a road could transform in reaction to changing traffic patterns. For more on smart roads, <a href="https://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2013-04/street-smarts/">check out this article.</a>

Dynamic Lines

Someday, the lines on a road could transform in reaction to changing traffic patterns. For more on smart roads, check out this article.
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