Five Innovations to Road Technologies

Despite the large number of technological advances that have taken over the automotive industry in recent years, there has been little change to roads themselves. That doesn't mean there aren't things we can do to our roads and highways to improve them, though; on the contrary, there are several things we can do to better our driving experience as well as to improve road safety. Let's take a look at five innovations to road technologies that are looking to do just that.

1. Glow-in-the-dark highways
   One highway in the Netherlands is testing a glow-in-the-dark solution (specifically, a powder that is photo-luminescent) that "charges up" during the day with help from the sun and then glows in the night to provide smarter lighting to the highway. According to the developers, the technology provides a safe and sustainable alternative to traditional road lights. The green glow can emit light for up to ten hours at a time, and is being called the Smart Highway. This particular innovation still needs a little bit more work, though; more lab testing is needed to ensure that the glow is sticking over time. The developers have said that the plan is to take the glowing solution to the international market as soon as the solution is perfected.
2. Motion Sensor Light
   While lights that switch on when motion is detected is nothing new, it is new to the roadways. This type of interactive light on the highway is designed to grow brighter when cars get closer but dim when they drive farther away, which will effectively save on energy costs. Because light on the roads and highways is so vital to traffic safety, though, the sensors need to be perfected before they get put into the roads. This is another innovation from the developers who are working on the glow-in-the-dark highways.
3. Wind-Powered Lights
   Wind-powered lights are just that: they are lights that generate their power from the wind using pinwheel-type generators. The technology works by utilizing wind from passing cars and turning it into electricity. The electricity provided is then used to generate and light up the lights within the pinwheels, bringing the light to the roads and highways. The wind-powered lights can only be powered by the wind of the passing cars, though, and the pinwheel generators need to be set along the path of the cars to provide light as the cars themselves pass through.
4. Electric Vehicle Priority Lane
   This innovation would allow electric vehicles to be charged up on the road itself. The induction priority lane is based on magnetic fields in the asphalt that have the ability to charge the electric vehicle while being driven across the surface. This could provide an invaluable sustainable way to keep electric vehicles running on long journeys, and is especially useful in countries like the Netherlands and Norway, where there has been a recent boom in the number of electric vehicles being driven.
5. Solar-Powered Roadways
   There is an innovative Indiegogo project that has gained a lot of clout lately, and a lot of donations, too: a project called 'Solar Roadways.' This project is currently testing ways to store solar energy panels, LEDs, and microprocessors into glass roads and highways, which will then be used for both alternative power and to make roads safer. According to the developers, the glass can be heated up to melt ice and snow, and the surface of the glass can be designed to allow cars to come to a full stop safely. The developers say that this is true even when the drivers are driving upwards of 80 mph, just like tradional highways and roads. When finished, the solar-powered roads will also be able to be used to power electrical needs.

With all of the upcoming developments to road technologies, roads will no longer by only a means to travel from point A to point B. We will soon be able to use our roads to our advantage, harnessing solar energy and powering electric vehicles, as well as make our roads safer in terms of visibility and the actual surface of the road. Hopefully there will be even more innovations in road technologies in the future, making our roads even safer to travel on -- only time will tell. Until then, if you want to sharpen your defensive driving skills, consider enrolling in a traffic school course. It will not only help you keep your driving record clean, but you might even qualify for a safe driver auto insurance discount.