A smart highway sounds like something out of a science fiction novel. But it is becoming a reality. America pioneered the highways in the 1950s and 60s that enabled drivers to travel long distances at relative ease. The technology that we find in the new generation of cars being released by the world’s top manufacturers is astounding, and now that technology is making its way onto the roads of the United States. We are forced to wonder what a smart highway would look like and how far we are from it becoming a reality.
What exactly will the highways of tomorrow look like?
The pace of innovation in the automotive sector is incredible at the moment. Every day, we hear about another company designing and producing technology that was previously thought impossible. With the automotive sector changing rapidly, the infrastructure to support the new generation of cars needs to adapt and change along with it. Innovation is the name of the game for the mobility sector at the moment.
Tesla pioneered the automated technology that is partially available in their newer cars. The technology would allow the driver to just sit back and let the car drive itself, essentially. However, the regulations and laws prohibit fully automated cars from operating on the roads of America. The possible moral quandaries that a fully automated car would face could be disastrous.
The roads of tomorrow will feature some of that same futuristic technology as well. The need to evolve with the times is surely being considered by the governments of the world, and this latest development out of Michigan promises to do just that. The question is, how will the roads of tomorrow use our advanced technological innovation that is currently being developed?
What does a smart highway even look like, and how will it work?
The smart highway in question will make use of a range of tech that will enable the cars and roads of tomorrow to communicate with each other. The first advantage would allow the cars that do have automated driving to operate in their own dedicated lane. The smart highway is a three-mile stretch of the I-94 that will feature innovative tech.
Cavnue, a Washington, D.C.-based subsidiary of Alphabet’s Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners, has just completed the first stretch of the new smart highway. By installing tech poles every 200 meters, the smart highway can speak to the vehicles driving on it, warning of potential dangers miles ahead that are not even visible to the driver yet. Innovation in the automotive sector is propelling the car and roads into the future.
At the moment, the poles make use of cameras taking pictures every few seconds, which are analyzed and sent to the Michigan Department of Highways. In the longer term, the smart highway would use radar to communicate with automated cars and feed data directly to the relevant authorities. The first stage of the dedicated 40-mile stretch of road is complete and ready to use.
Will the world embrace the futuristic cars and roads of tomorrow?
While regulations in the United States are always at the back of our minds, the roads of the future will offer us a safe and advanced way to travel across the country. The new smart highway in Michigan promises to revolutionize the way we use the roads of tomorrow. By analyzing data, the authorities could see any potentially dangerous situation before it gets out of hand. The smart highway is just the next step in the evolution of the mobility sector. Our cars are improving, so the same improvements need to happen for our roads.
