The Korean government envisions smart roads that can charge moving cars on expressways and eliminate dust and other pollutants to keep air around the roads at reasonable level.

Under 10-year vision released Friday, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport set four primary objectives in upgrading road infrastructure over the next decade through active employment of big data, artificial intelligence and other innovations.

It will aim to reduce casualties from road accidents by 30 percent; ease the traffic congestion by 30 percent; cut the road maintenance and operation costs by 30 percent; and remove noise by 20 percent and hazardous emissions by 15 percent.

Research and development for the objectives will focus on technologies as follows.

For safe road, smart road monitoring/ risk-averse system with emergency operation/restoration system; for convenient road, 3D road network building and operation with hyperloop construction; for economical road, digital twin-based road maintenance and construction based on customized precast; and for eco-friendly road, smart energy generation and real-time EV charging infrastructure.

In detail, nearly 100 projects were designed under the plan.

The schedule for each project will be arranged in careful consideration of the size, funding, importance and relativity, the ministry said.

Research will expand to enable recharging while cars are in fast movement, such as on the expressway. Roads will be enhanced through analysis of typhoon, storm and earthquake stress tests with the use of big data. Through the use of solar energy, roads will be equipped with sensors to self-warm after rain and snow. Dust-cleaning technologies also will be applied to keep roads safe for drivers and passengers, the outline said.

By Son Dong-woo and Lee Ha-yeon

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]