SMART HIGHWAY MARKET ANALYSIS

Key Developments

• In May 2023, Italy launched a partnership between the government and private companies to turn the city of "Taormina" into a smart city. The initiative, called "Taormina Technological City System," is a first step in making Italy smarter. The project aims to make everything in the city digital and manage it using smart sensors. One example is the "Smart Roads 4.0" system, which links vehicles together using modern technology to improve transportation.
• In January 2023, China started expanding its smart highway network as part of its new infrastructure projects. The 157-kilometer highway from Chengdu to Yibin is being hailed as China's first fully smart highway. Smart pillars are installed every 800 meters, fitted with radar and cameras to gather road data. This allows drivers to be alerted via phone or apps about traffic issues or accidents ahead, and provides suggestions for alternative routes. The information can also be used to dispatch police and emergency vehicles quickly to accident sites.
• In May 2022, the U.K. government upgraded the technology on England's smart highways to better detect broken-down vehicles and keep traffic flowing smoothly in all lanes.
• In April 2022, the city of Lexana in Kansas agreed to a 10-year pilot program to introduce smart pavement technology at five intersections through a partnership between the public and private sectors. This project, known as a P3, is a significant step in implementing this technology. Smart pavement involves using precast concrete road sections with embedded fiber optic connectivity and digital technology. This enables the collection of traffic data through various means like Wi-Fi, in-road sensors, and 5G, facilitated by antennas in expansion ports, edge services, and cloud access. Additionally, the technology allows for wireless electric vehicle charging.