Automotive

First highway with glow-in-the-dark markings opens in the Netherlands

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A road in the Netherlands has had glow-in-the-dark marking painted onto it for increased visibility and safety
A road in the Netherlands has had glow-in-the-dark marking painted onto it for increased visibility and safety
The N329 in Oss is being used to pilot the Glowing Lines concept
Glowing Lines uses luminescent paint that absorbs solar energy during the day and glows for up to 10 hours when it gets dark
The N329 in Oss is being used to pilot the Glowing Lines concept
Glowing Lines avoids the need for using additional electricity, despite their glowing visibility
Glowing Lines is part of the Smart Highway project
Glowing Lines is part of the Smart Highway project
The Glowing Lines road markings are painted on the road in three strips
The Glowing Lines road markings help to guide the way for motorists by better picking out the road
Glowing Lines could prove particularly beneficial when there are no road lights
The Glowing Lines concept has been developed through a number of iterations and tested for durability and user experience
The pilot will provide information about how well Glowing Lines works in a real-world scenario
Dynamic Paint might be invisible on the road until it gets cold when it might then display a warning
Dynamic Paint could also be used to change road markings based on traffic volume
Interactive light seeks to detect where cars are on a road and then light only the sections of the road around and in front of them
Wind Light envisions turbines at the side of the road that generate electricity for lighting using the wind caused by passing cars
Induction Priority Lane proposes a lane with electric vehicle charging technology embedded under the road surface
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Drivers on a road in the Netherlands are now being guided by glow-in-the-dark road markings. The N329 in Oss is being used to pilot the concept, which is part of the Smart Highway project by construction firm Heijmans and design firm Studio Roosegaarde. Glowing Lines is aimed at increasing visibility and safety.

The idea for Glowing Lines and the broader Smart Highway project were conceived by Heijmans and Studio Roosegaarde in 2012. The Smart Highway nomenclature is perhaps a little misleading, as none of the concepts that come under its umbrella involve internet connectedness, but they are certainly smart in the sense of being clever. The project is aimed at using different technologies to create the "interactive and sustainable roads of tomorrow."

The Glowing Lines concept has been developed through a number of iterations and tested for durability and user experience

Glowing Lines uses luminescent paint that is charged by solar energy during the day and then glows for up to 10 hours when it gets dark. This means that the road markings have higher visibility than those using standard paint, whilst still not requiring electricity.

The concept itself has been developed through several iterations and has been tested for durability and user experience. As such, the Oss pilot should primarily provide information on how well it works on a day-to-day basis in a real-world setting.

As mentioned, there are a number of other concepts under the Smart Highway umbrella yet to be piloted. Dynamic Paint envisages the use of temperature sensitive paint on the roads to provide contextual information. For example, if it were to be very cold, then the usually transparent paint would become visible and display warning messages.

Induction Priority Lane proposes a lane with electric vehicle charging technology embedded under the road surface

Interactive light seeks to detect where cars are on a road and then light only the sections of the road around and in front of them. The aim of this would be to reduce the use of electricity by dimming lighting where roads are empty. Induction Priority Lane, meanwhile, proposes a lane with electric vehicle charging technology embedded under the road surface, whilst Wind Light envisions turbines at the side of the road that generate electricity for lighting using the wind caused by passing cars.

Assuming the pilot is successful, there are plans to roll-out Glowing Lines globally.

The video below provides an introduction to Glowing Lines.

Source: Smart Highway

View gallery - 17 images
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7 comments
Bob Ehresman
I hope this glow paint is an augmentation rather than a replacement for retroreflective paint and markers. Rain, snow, and cloudy winter days might suck the life right out of this sort of luminescence.
Robert Walther
I assume that these lights are digital LED, so they can be used to receive, record and transmit digital information on a wide range of utility.
Bigbrother Iswatchingu
Very nice technology.
Buzzclick
Roads have become increasingly safer over the years, and this is another step in that direction. If it lasts for 10 hours after nightfall as stated, it certainly would handle most of the night traffic. As for the effective longevity? Regular road paint is redone almost yearly, so this should last as long. If it's reflective as well? Even better.
Mel Tisdale
An interesting experiment. Let's see how it turns out.
Walt Stawicki
superb idea. Wonder how it looks at midnight, at 5 below with slush and fog...ah, those wonderful scenic nights!
pmshah
I had seen a news item that worked similarly in the UK. What they had was lane divider and road marker paint embedded with very fine glass balls that resulted in complete internal reflection and behaved like regular reflectors used on road signs and motor vehicles. This only required the driver to turn on the head lights and it worked perfectly.
The glow in the dark feature would essentially be useful for pedestrians or for cyclists with insufficient head light intensity.