Across the United States of America, state governments have started to pour huge quantities of money into the so called ‘internet of roads. This major technological upgrade to America’s highway system has been hailed as a partial solution to the staggering number of auto accident deaths in the country, spiraling insurance costs and stand still traffic. Despite this, many people are uncertain as to what the internet of roads actually is. This article takes a brief look at what promises to be a long, costly and ultimately beneficial update of major roadways.
Overview
Smart roadways essentially involve the increased collection and sharing of data between communicative objects. Cars, traffic signals, meteorological stations, and CCTV cameras can all be enabled to connect to the internet at share data with a central analytical database. This means that algorithms can correctly make decisions about how best to manage the roads.
All of this takes a huge quantity of money. Colorado alone has invested upwards of 30 million dollars on a small section of highway. The benefits of this investment are likely to trickle down to ordinary road users. If traffic accidents become less frequent, companies like Root Insurance will have no choice but to reduce their prices for people who regularly travel on safer highways. Consumers will also save money on gas. Congestion costs the average American over 1000 dollars a year. Improved traffic management thanks to smart highways will decrease the amount of time spent on congested roads.
Traffic Management
Consumers will also save money on gas. Congestion costs the average American over 1000 dollars a year. Improved traffic management thanks to smart highways will decrease the amount of time spent on congested roads. Traffic management in real-time will be enabled by the collection of data from vehicles and road sensors. If a buildup of traffic is projected, then the internet of roads can suggest alternative routes. Ultimately, a myriad of alternative routes will be suggested in order to make sure that not every road user is taking the same diversion. As more and more data are collected, the service should improve exponentially.
Smart roadways can potentially alter traffic signals to prevent bumper-to-bumper traffic. If it is safe to do so, a red light can feasibly turn green with the specific aim of improving the flow of vehicles.
Road Safety
One of the great selling points that have provoked a huge wave of investment on the internet of roads across the United States is the potential that they have for reducing the number of accidents. Thousands of Americans die every year due to automobile accidents. Smart roadways have the potential to decrease this deadly toll by allowing for the clever use of big data by traffic management professionals. The more data that is collected about areas where safety is poor, the more problems that can be identified and fixed. Pavement quality can also be monitored using smart roadways, which will ultimately mean a reduction in the number of blowouts on the highway.
