Between the south and the north of Florence in Italy, which stretches 26 kilometers for each road, new interactive smart roads collect traffic information and relay them to motorists. Thanks to the collaboration between Autostrade per l’Italia, its subsidiary Movyon, and the Volkswagen Group Italy, the two smart roads will soon start operation.
Movyon is a smart mobility company whose portfolio also includes smart tolling, infrastructure management, safety management, and even solutions for smart cities. For smart roads, specifically, Movyon’s technologies allow for data collection, traffic flow optimization, interoperability between vehicle units, and an enhanced experience for motorists.
So what exactly makes these Italian roads smart? According to Movyon’s website and Italian publication, Moto.it, the roads all connect to an operations center that coordinates all the information and warnings that are to be relayed to motorists. Of course, this requires a transmitter and a receiver, both of which Movyon is able to provide.
Movyon installed the Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) communication system on these stretches of road, and the system is able to communicate with vehicles in transit to report useful traffic information and alerts—all in real-time. The info includes accidents, queues, stopped vehicles, counterflowing vehicles, slippery road conditions, people on the road, obstacles on the road, construction, and weather reporting.
However, without the transmitter motorists won’t be able to receive this information, but that’s where Volkswagen comes in. The first vehicles that will be able to communicate with the information center will be new Volkswagen cars equipped with the Car2X system and early adopters of the Movyon system. Even two-wheelers can have the technology installed in order to listen in on the conversation.
According to Roberto Tomasi, CEO of Autostrade per l’Italia, the Intelligent Roads Initiative will initially cover 50 kilometers (31.07 miles) on the Ligurian motorway, then the Variate di Valico motorway which stretches 90 kilometers (55.92 miles).
Movyon’s CEO stated that the company will continue to develop and make available road solutions with interoperability for any car maker. He further states that the V2I communication system will not only bring significant improvements in traffic management but also contribute to intelligent and safe mobility as well as new services for motorists.
