Smart Roads Research
The era of the Internet of things (IoT) began to flourish in 2008-2009, when the number of devices which were connected to the Internet exceeded the world's population [7]. Even though the concept of IoT itself was announced for the first time in 1999, today everybody knows its content (household appliances and the surrounding human facilities combined into a single network) as it was formulated in 2004 [1]. The transportation and road sectors were not left behind the attention of the wide-spreading technologies and IoT started its firm contribution to improving them. In order to help the road-building industry to make a major breakthrough in the development, it is enough to abandon stereotyped thinking and reduce the degree of conservatism. Therefore, IoT innovations possess enough courage to radically transform the sector for the better.
To begin with, road sensors are perhaps one of the most important events that will occur in the transport world with the introduction of new technologies. Being compact, energy efficient, wireless and durable, they can easily be integrated into the roadway. The sensors can accurately measure temperature, humidity and amount of traffic [6]. Then, the collected data will be immediately sent to the central server for processing and analysis. This, in turn, will enable the relevant services receive real-time information about traffic and road conditions in any area of the city [3]. As a result, the sustainment of roads can be registered during severe weather circumstances that, according to the data, cause nearly 25% of traffic accidents [2]. And smart sensors can warn of structural damage and fatigue of asphalt and its substrate. Moreover, the IoT system will be able to inform drivers about possible danger with the help of relevant signals and even reduce the cost of road maintenance.
The IoT projects may seem distant for some people, however, most experts see no major technological barriers to their implementation in the nearest future. Nowadays, the most advanced vehicles are supplied with a variety of electronic equipment, which with the help of minor improvements will bring us closer to the automated traffic on the smart roads. For example, video sensors may initially serve to warn the driver about the loss of the right direction and the transition from lane to lane. And this, incidentally, is one of the most common causes of accidents on urban roads. Next improvement which is brought by IoT technologies is a combination of “forward looking” sensors with brakes to avoid a collision (such devices are already put on some Japanese cars) [10]. Hence, the emergency braking can occur without the driver and it will further reduce the risk of accidents. Furthermore, another technology that is ready for implementation is a two-way digital radio. Drivers can be warned of the dangers on the road by being offered the optimal route or provided prompt assistance in case of damage or accidents. For instance, the navigation system “OnStar”, which is created by an American automobile company General Motors …
