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Planning the new generation of roads means daring to start from a blank sheet of paper
to rethink the future and to build new visions around what matters most.
When thinking of our future roads we envisage them to be advanced yet affordable
safe and secure,
clean and quiet and environmentally friendly.
The roads of the future will be flexible and intelligent and always available,
providing dependable and integrated transport for our citizens and societies.
We need to create a next generation of roads. Roads that are forever open.
When designing the roads of the future,
they need to be adaptable to future needs.
The new generation of roads will be built from pre-fabricated modular units
with in-built communication, drainage and utilities channels.
When the roads need widening, for extra lanes, cycle routes or even railroads,
new blocks can be added at practically any time.
The roads of the future will clean themselves and even repair themselves.
When large repairs are needed, the road modules will be removed and replaced.
Future roads will harvest and store renewable energy:
geothermal, and from sun and wind. They will not only provide for their own energy,
but will also power the vehicles that drive on them.
The Adaptable Road:
Fully adaptable to changes in demand.
The next generation of roads will be built and maintained in an entirely different way.
Automated technologies will take a central place.
The roads of the future will interact both with the vehicles that drive on them,
as well as with the road operators.
The roads will constantly monitor their own condition, measure traffic movement,
inform users of possible traffic problems and guide them safely to their destination.
Road sensors will use performance data from in-car sensors to identify where
repairs are needed and where incidents have occurred. The vehicle will use this
information to adapt its speed and route.
It is envisaged that the hub of all this information exchange will be the driver's
own mobile phone.
Clearly, our future roads will be intelligent roads.
The Automated Road: Fully integrated with the user, vehicle and operations.
Our future roads will be resilient roads.
they will be built from sustainable materials that are indeed self-renewing.
Able to endure extreme weather conditions and to adapt to them.
Technology will prevent the road from freezing or flooding.
Traffic management and user information systems will adjust themselves accordingly
and integrated snow and ice removal systems will be activated.
The structure will
capture and disperse heavy rain
through its modular construction.
The water will be captured for use in industry or roadside planting, which also
contributes to capturing carbon.
The road surface will use solar energy to keep itself warm in cold weather
and to disperse snow and ice.
The Resilient Road:
Fully adaptable to extreme weather conditions.
An affordable and advanced road infrastructure is one of today's major
challenges
for people and companies; countries and continents.
And we know how to deal with this challenge.
The roads of the future are being designed right now, combining today's
innovative ideas with tomorrow's technologies.
Society needs the Forever Open Road,
a road that's adaptable, automated and resilient and that needs very little human intervention
We have the vision to create it and enable it.
Drive into the future with us. The Forever Open Road:
redefining road transport for the 21st Century.