The Innovate Mound project will transform the Corridor into a state-of-the-art road of the future
Doc Brown may have painted a picture of the future for movie-goers in the 1980’s blockbuster Back to the Future II, but flying cars have disappointingly not become a modern reality yet. While we may be sad that vehicles are still connected to the ground, we can enjoy the fact that many new vehicles are communicating with each other through the power of smart technology.
One thing we have discovered in the field of emerging mobility is that communication between our vehicles, roads, pathways, and lights will be vital to improving rush hour traffic flow, reducing accidents, and making roads safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.
Personal, commercial, and mass transit vehicles are already being designed with state-of-the art technology with advanced communication, driving the evolution of enhanced autonomous vehicle technology.
According to Planet M, Michigan leads the world in testing and development of next-generation transportation technology. The largest deployment of freeway and surface street Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) technology in the United States can be found in Michigan.
Smart, self-driving cars will need smart roads to function at their best, which is why Macomb County, the City of Sterling Heights, and the City of Warren identified smart technology as a top priority for the reconstruction of Mound Road.
“Michigan is leading the way in mobility,” said John Crumm, director of planning for Macomb County Department of Roads (MCDR). “Many of the businesses along Mound Road are leaders in innovation, so we knew we needed an innovative road to both retain them and attract new businesses and development.”
Smart Features of a Smart Road
Connected vehicle technology will enable cars, trucks, buses, and other vehicles to “talk” to each other with in-vehicle or aftermarket devices that continuously share important safety and traffic information.
Intelligent Transportation Systems will collect data from connected vehicles, mobile devices, and infrastructure to provide travelers with real-time information such as the status of traffic levels, parking availability, transit schedules, traffic signals, and road weather conditions.
One example of how this technology may help save lives is that emergency responders will receive real-time updates on deteriorating road and weather conditions. This critical information will allow them to determine the safest response routes and to calculate response times.