Glow in the dark highway is the way of the future

GlobalPost

Highways haven't changed very much in the last half-century.

That might be about to change as a design firm in the Netherlands has created a glow in the dark highway that will be tested soon.

Designers at Studio Daan Roosegaarde and Heijmans Infrastructure say that their "smart highway" aims to be a safer and more energy efficient alternative to conventional roads, said Fox News.

Using special paint the outside lines of the highway glow in the dark and provide not only illumination but road information.

Inside lines recharge using sunlight in the daytime, which reduces the need for overhead lighting.

The new road's most interesting feature is its ability to display icons and characters like snowflakes when the road gets icy or wet, reported Engineering Source.

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Illumination would also be increased when there are cars approaching, reducing the amount of energy used on an empty road.

The team also imagines lanes for electric vehicles that allow them to run off grid power from coils implanted underneath the road.

The highways are expected to be tested in the Netherlands next year.

The road designs were released during Dutch Design Week in Eindhoven in the Netherlands, said AutoExpress.

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