Just as in fields like e-commerce, illustration and photography with new generative AI like Dall-E, and the audiovisual entertainment industry, technological advances will inevitably transform road traffic and transportation, and mobility in a broader sense. This includes not only vehicle safety but also the technologies implemented on the roads we will be using for years to come, technologies that represent a transformation of mobility and transportation as we have known it until now.
We're used to hearing terms like smart cities , but what's happening outside of them, on the roads? What technologies are going to change the way we move around and use all kinds of vehicles?
In this article, we want to address topics such as the use of IoT/Big Data, 5G connectivity, and solar roads, which, among other things, will revolutionize road driving in the coming years. All of this is not only to make life easier for drivers, but also to promote sustainable transportation and greater road safety in the years to come.
What road technologies will revolutionize the future?
The first is connectivity, or next-generation communications between all elements of the road ecosystem: vehicles, regardless of type, infrastructure elements, road operators themselves, and the most vulnerable users—field workers, pedestrians, and emergency services. This technology, along with others mentioned in the article, forms the idea and concept of smart roads ( or smart corridors ).
In the process of implementing this technology, 5G mobile communications and the recently mentioned 6G will be fundamental for establishing the connection and communication between the vehicle and its road environment. Therefore, the devices and sensors deployed on the roads or on board vehicles will generate value by transmitting valuable, real-time information on aspects such as traffic levels or road conditions.
Similarly, Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) protocols will facilitate the connection of vehicles with all elements, with the aim of improving road safety. Within this type of technology are others such as V2I (vehicle-to-infrastructure), V2N (vehicle-to-mobile network), V2V (vehicle-to-vehicle), and V2P (vehicle-to-pedestrian).
Mass sensorization of road infrastructure elements
Related to the previous technology, in the coming years, massive sensor deployment of road infrastructure elements via the Internet of Things (IoT) will be necessary to monitor its health and condition. What benefits will this sensor deployment and massive amount of data bring to operators and users?
Sensors on roads connected to vehicles will allow continuous monitoring over time of data on the state of conservation of road infrastructure elements: viaducts and critical elements, road surface and defects in the pavement, traffic control elements, etc.
Comprehensive knowledge of the condition of road infrastructure elements, generated from Big Data (vast amounts of data), and curated and analyzed through Artificial Intelligence, will allow road operators and related agents to carry out more efficient operations, apply predictive maintenance philosophies to infrastructure, further improving road safety levels and offering road users better services and an experience more in line with the new needs that new innovations, such as autonomous vehicles, will create in society.
Smart Intersections
The fourth technology that will revolutionize roads and mobility is related to smart intersections . Road intersections are elements of road and transport infrastructure where two or more roads intersect. Therefore, they are prone to accidents and require much higher levels of safety and control than other road elements.
In this context, smart intersections or crossings aim to reduce accident rates on conventional roads through V2X technology. Specifically, they use sensor systems, such as radar or cameras, and variable message signs that detect vehicles approaching the intersection and send warnings to other vehicles traveling on the main road.
The elements that make up smart intersections on highways are:
Dynamic warning systems include variable message signs, traffic lights, and other signals. This can also include sending information directly to connected users, alerting them to hazards or providing recommendations based on their location.
Data processing stations receive information from sensors installed on roads and process it to manage signage or send information.
The proximity and detection sensors, which are placed at key points on the roadway, send the information to the stations.
Digital twins based on the BIM methodology
As the fifth technology that will dominate the future of roads, we highlight digital twins based on Building Information Modeling ( BIM ) methodology. These are virtual representations of an object—in this case, road infrastructure, but also factories, service stations, and so on. Their development as a disruptive technology for the roads of the future will allow operators to manage their infrastructure more efficiently, sustainably, and safely, as well as improve road safety and mitigate other potential risks.
Thanks to virtual replicas, road maintenance and the operation of other technologies can be simulated, allowing for more efficient configuration and use. Simulations of digital twins of road infrastructure enable preliminary work on the operation and subsequent management of roads, tunnels, bridges, traffic signals, and other elements.
All of this will allow operational tasks to not only be more efficient but, very importantly, the operator will reduce response time to events thanks to foresight and prior training regarding certain operational or maintenance processes.
Solar roads
Sustainability is a key aspect of road operations in the coming years, which is why ways are being sought to reduce the carbon footprint of operator activities and, ultimately, road use by road users. These solutions range from self-generation to efficient energy transfer from the infrastructure to the flow of vehicles.
The first group includes solutions such as "solar roads." But what exactly are solar roads? They are roads whose pavement is literally made of solar panels, protected and resistant to the traffic of all types of vehicles.
In other words, photovoltaic solar energy isn't just about saving energy in buildings, the area where its use is most well-known. On roads, solar panels transform sunlight into electricity, and their uses can be varied: from building charging points for electric cars to providing lighting.
Currently, there are solar road projects in countries such as the United States, France, the Netherlands, and China. And, although it is true that their implementation and expansion are expensive, and that the capture of sunlight may not be complete, they have a number of advantages:
- Generating clean energy by utilizing roads, saving space.
- To provide cheaper electricity to places near the railways: for example, gas stations or service stations.
- Long-term reduction in road and asphalt maintenance because solar panels have a lifespan of at least 20 years with very little maintenance required.
- Inductive charging even allows electric cars to be charged using conductive coils that create magnetic fields in connection with the vehicles.
Conclusions on advances in road technologies
These five technologies that will revolutionize the future of roads share one key objective: to improve the safety of drivers and pedestrians, enhance the daily work of road operators, and promote sustainability and energy efficiency. The mobility of the future must be sustainable, and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) will play a vital role in these advancements.
The technologies we will encounter on the roads in the future are here to stay, facilitating and improving mobility for society. It is important to understand them, become accustomed to them, and take advantage of their benefits as operators, drivers, users, or pedestrians.
Source: Openvia, with some modifications.
