The pilot project, which will take place over the next five years on a nearly one-kilometre stretch of Highway 285 southwest of Denver, will attempt to demonstrate the feasibility of a system capable of detecting vehicles leaving the road abruptly. In such situations, emergency services will be automatically alerted, as will drivers approaching the crash area. Similar systems currently exist, but it is up to the drivers themselves to provide the information.
The downside? At the moment Integrated Roadways, the developer of this technology, estimates that the cost per kilometre of intelligent road would amount to two and a half million dollars per lane. However, regardless of whether this system becomes widespread, we can be certain that our road systems are set for major changes in the coming years.
