23/04/2026
Smart roads look set to be part of the next mobility revolution. Physical and digital systems that integrate sensors, advanced technology, data analytics, and AI will transform any journey into a safer, more efficient, and connected experience.
While the purpose of roads has been constant for centuries now, their history is full of significant evolutionary leaps. From the carriageways of the Roman Empire to 20th century asphalt or high-capacity highways, each technical advance has responded to a social need: more trade, more speed, more security. And now smart roads look set to be the next major milestone, as per a report from the Official Association of Telecommunications Engineers (COIT), which defines this infrastructure as physical and digital networks where advanced technology is integrated to create “a single smart road network.”
What is a smart road?
According to the COIT report, smart roads are capable of communicating with vehicles, receiving real-time data from sensors and weather stations, integrating with traffic management platforms, and processing information using advanced analytics and AI. Its main objective is clear: to improve road safety by providing users with “better quality, more varied, and more timely information”, which would lead to fewer accidents.
So far, the technology that’s being implemented in this regard includes:
- Connected weather and traffic sensors
- Smart variable message panels
- Connected signaling systems
- Air surveillance with drones
- Management platforms that analyze and redistribute information in real time
Traffic management, optimized via data collection and analysis, allows for adjusting traffic light timings, dynamically enabling two-way lanes, or generating alternative routes. Vehicle emissions are also reduced thanks to more fluid circulation.
What role does the car play in this revolution?
This transformation of road infrastructure must necessarily be linked to the evolution of vehicles that travel on it, a strategic point highlighted by a report promoted by Spain’s Directorate General of Roads, which is part of the Ministry of Transport, through the World Road Association (PIARC). An international automation ranking has been established to evaluate progress, with levels from 0 to 5. According to a 2022 study, 62% of passenger cars in Spain are level 2, while 23% are level 3, although they aren’t yet authorized as being roadworthy.
This technological deployment poses significant challenges on the ground that haven’t yet been anticipated, such as possible system disconnections (accidental or deliberate), contradictions among manufacturers, and the lack of experience of the average driver. The government study concludes that the evolution of roads must follow the user, i.e. the infrastructure will progressively adapt to real vehicle capacity.
Spain bets on progress and regularization
In parallel to technical research, a classification that shows the viability of the various projects and which favors regulation of same is required. That’s why Spain has promoted the Smart Road Classification (SRC) within the World Road Association, based on a five-tier system that was developed by the Polytechnic University of Valencia, which comprises the following elements:
- Human Road (HU): Does not allow for automation.
- Assisted Road (AS): Allows for partial automation with fewer disconnections.
- Automated Road (AT): Adequate physical support plus connectivity.
- Totally Automated Road (FA): Compatible with vehicles that can operate autonomously under specific conditions.
- Autonomous road (AU): Exclusive use for vehicles that can operate in any condition and location without human intervention.
The objective of this classification is to improve road safety through a common understandable language for both drivers and automated systems. Furthermore, it distinguishes between the physical capacity of the road and the digital connectivity support, emphasizing that it’s not efficient to implement advanced connectivity in sections where the physical infrastructure causes frequent disconnections.
Wins recorded and challenges ahead for smart roads
The various pilot projects described in the aforementioned reports and emerging technologies show that smart roads aren’t a futuristic concept, but a reality. Initiatives like the dynamic charging of electric vehicles in motion, photovoltaic pavements, or exclusive lanes for autonomous vehicles all aim to deliver a more secure, efficient, and sustainable transportation model. Internationally, Europe has already conducted multiple tests that confirm this transition towards connected infrastructures and reaffirm the vision of a mobility system capable of anticipating risks, optimizing traffic flow, and reducing emissions.
The benefits of this trend are undeniable:
- Road safety is boosted thanks to more accurate information that is relayed in real-time.
- Dynamic traffic management and immediate emergency response.
- Operational efficiency is improved as a result of better investment planning, prioritizing strategic sections, and reducing congestion.
- This progress is made in the context of finding materials that respect the environment and the energy transition.
However, mass implementation of a smart roads initiative also brings with it significant challenges, notably in the areas of cybersecurity and data protection, which is at the fore of security and coordination concerns of public administrations, industry professionals, and users. It’s not yet possible to calculate the costs of implementing smart roads nationally or across the European Union, and the required regulatory adaptation promises to be complicated. On top of this, social acceptance on the part of road users and society is a big hurdle to overcome. At the end of the day, these projects show that smart roads won’t just transform the way we drive – they’ll also change the way we think about road infrastructure itself.
