Smart Roadway and

Electric Vehicle Charging

System
A Research Presentation By:
Timothy Jacobs, EET / CT Major
Dr. Wen Chen, Advisor
 Why a Research Presentation?
• Honors College Requirements
• More Ambitious End Product
• Allows for More Depth and Understanding of Topic
 What Makes a Roadway “Smart”?

Any or all of the following:

• Connectivity to the Internet or Other Network
• Use of Advanced Technologies
• Functionality Controlled by Microcontrollers or Computers
• Features Not Found in Conventional Roadways
 What are the Benefits?
Key Benefits Including:
1.Reduced Environmental Impact
2.Cost Savings
3.Increased Safety
 1. How do SRs Benefit the
Environment?
Many Benefits Including:
A.Providing Alternatives to Snow Melt Chemicals
B.Generating Clean Energy
C.Encouraging Electric Vehicle Use
 A. Costs of Snow-Removing
Chemicals
• Billions of dollars annually spent resurfacing roadways damaged by
chemicals and snow plows
• Approx. $23.4 billion in corrosion-related vehicle damage caused each year
• Approx. 40% of streams in the northern U.S have a chloride level that exceeds
EPA standards as a result of such chemicals
• Salt spray on sides of road can attract animals and result in more wildlife
collisions
• Salt spray can inhibit plat growth near roads
• Use of these chemicals can be reduced or eliminated by SRs
B. How Can SRs Generate Clean Energy?
• Most proposed smart roadways make use of solar panels for energy collection
• The U.S has approx. 30,000 square miles of roadways/ surfaces
• With current solar panel technology, replacing all roads in the US with smart
roadways could produce over 14 Billion Kilowatt-hours annually (over 3x the
usage of the U.S in 2009)
• Smart roadways could cut greenhouse gas emissions by up to 75%, with 50%
being from elimination of burning fossil fuels and 25% being from elimination of
gas vehicles in favor of electric
 C. How do SRs Help EVs?
• Smart roadways can collect and store energy, making it more available
• Many companies are working on creating wireless charging systems to
charge EVs as they drive, extending their range and making them more
viable
• Additionally, current EV charge stations requiring users to “plug in”
could be eliminated in favor of charge pads where the user simply parks
to charge
 2. How Can SRs Save Money?

A.Lower Maintenance / Repair costs

B.Capitalizing on SR Features
A. How do SRs Cost Less to Maintain?

• Many proposed smart roadway systems call for a modular design,

allowing for damaged sections of road to be quickly replaced, saving
time and money
• By reducing or eliminating the need for salt and plowing, damage to
roadways will be severely reduced, resulting in less required
maintenance
• Many smart roadway materials are more durable than asphalt, resulting
in longer lifespan
 B. How can SRs Make Money?
• Some proposed designs call for cables to be run under the
roadways. This space can be leased to different industries
• Electricity generated can be stored and sold
• This revenue can be used to offset the costs of construction,
whereas a normal road has no ROI
 3. How are SRs Safer?

A.Increased Visibility
B.Better De-Icing
C.More Information
 A. How are SRs More Visible?

• Smart roadways can make use of LEDs to display warning messages

• LEDs or glowing paint can be used to make roads more visible at night
• More than half of all traffic deaths occur at night due to poor visibility
 B. How are SRs Better at De-Icing?

• Smart roadways can make use of electric heating elements to

melt snow on-demand
• Sensors can detect when snow falls and melt it immediately
• Snow melt systems can operate in conditions where plows and
salt trucks would be slow to respond
 C. How Can SRs Provide More
Information?
• Smart roadways can make use of sensors to detect traffic,
obstacles in road, etc
• This information can be displayed by the LEDs, or sent directly
to autonomous vehicles
 Drawbacks of SRs
• The main drawbacks of SRs are the high initial cost of their installation.
Replacing all roadways with SRs would be impractically costly
• Some technology to make SRs more viable is not yet available
Who’s Already Working on It?
Solar Roadways Wattway
solarroadways.com wattwaybycolas.com
• Focus on use of solar panels for • Focus on solar panel road surface
that can be installed over existing
electricity generation surfaces

Smart Highway Integrated Roadways

studioroosegaarde.net/project/smart-highway/ integratedroadways.com

• Focus on use of luminescent • Focus on using roadways to route

paint and lighting solutions cable for network infrastructure
 Solar Roadways

• Started in 2010 by husband and wife Scott and Julie Brusaw

• Main idea is modular solar tiles that sit atop a hollow corridor
• Current SR3 prototype features LEDs, solar panels, and a heating
element
Solar Roadways Evaluation
 Drawbacks of Solar Roadways

• Would be very expensive to implement as a complete replacement for

existing roads ($20+ trillion)
• Glass panels may not be suited for heavy truck traffic, as scuffed panels
would not conduct solar energy as efficiently
 Wattway

• Developed in 2015 by Colas, a company specializing in

road construction
• Features a flexible photovoltaic road surface solution
 Wattway Evaluation
Benefits:

20 m2 of Wattway Wattway uses special Wattway can be installed

provides enough energy materials that makes it atop existing pavement,
for a single home resistant to weather while lowering installation costs
providing strong traction
Drawbacks:
• A possible drawback would be that Wattway incorporates only solar
panels in its design
 Smart Highways
• Project by Studio Roosegaarde started in 2012
• Glowing Lines project uses glowing paint that charges with
sunlight
• Other proposed ideas include wind-powered lights and an
electric vehicle charging lane
 Integrated Roadways

• Started in 2016 In Kansas City, MO

• Focus solely on creating roadways that house
communications cables
• Also includes sensors that can provide traffic data
 Which Solution is Best?
• Each has its benefits and drawbacks
• The best solution is a combination of existing efforts
and new advancements
 What’s Next?
• Second Semester: Application
• Work on developing a smart roadway scale model
• Incorporate heating elements, LEDs, microprocessor
control, and other technologies
• Investigate wireless charging capabilities for EVs
 Any Questions?

Thank you for your time.