Could our highways eventually look like something out of the game of Tron? If one Dutch partnership has its way, this could very possibly be a reality. It’s called the “Smart Highway,” and it’s become something of a curiosity in automotive circles since it won Best Future Concept at the recent Dutch Design Awards.
So what is the “Smart Highway,” you ask? It all began as a hypothetical question by designer Daan Roosegarde, who wondered why so many efforts were being made to improve the technology in cars while roads were essentially the same as they’ve been for decades. This question, combined with the desire to make technology that reduced carbon emissions and improved efficiency, planted the seeds in his brain that would eventually become the “Smart Highway.”
The way it works is remarkably simple. The paint that is used to form the lines on highways–most of which is already reflective–is given a luminescent powder that absorbs energy during the day, giving it the ability to “glow” for up to ten hours during the hours of darkness. There are also variations that detect low temperatures and ice, and could be activated to show snowflakes on the road to alert drivers of cold-weather conditions.
So, now for the obvious question: will we see this “Smart Highway” near Avondale Nissan in the Phoenix area? The answer is…maybe. After initial testing on Dutch highways, the amount of light wasn’t always uniform, so the magic potion is headed back to the lab for further testing. Also, during certain conditions such as heavy rain, it was rendered nearly invisible, so steps are being taken to combat these circumstances as well.
It would appear, for the time being at least, that we’ll have to get along with our boring-old highways as we always have. Luckily, we at Avondale Nissan have forward-thinking vehicles to get us by in the meantime; vehicles such as the all-electric 2014 Nissan LEAF, or the iconically-styled 2014 Nissan Juke. So, to tide you over until our roads light up like a video game, pay us a visit at Avondale Nissan!
