Smart Highways : Discovery Tech : Discovery Channel

Wide Angle: Smart Highways

Discovery Tech explores the future of traffic.

Driving into the Future

technology,intelligent highways,traffic,gps,

In the future, cars and highways will talk to each, making driving safer and less congested.

Intelligent highways equipped with wireless technology, fiber optics, sensors, cameras, GPS, electronic signs and robotic cars have the potential to decrease traffic congestion, increase highway safety and reduce the environmental impact caused by traffic jams. We take a wide angle view on what those future roads may look like, here on Earth and even in the skies.

News: Smart-Braking Cars Save Fuel
Drivers willing to turn braking and acceleration over to a computer could save nearly 25 percent on their annual gas bills, say the British developers of an advanced new cruise control system.

Video: Down Future Roads, Everyone's Talking
Traffic expert Rick Dye weighs in on the future of driving, where cars talk to other cars, your GPS lets you know there's an accident ahead and movies are beamed to your dashboard.

Video: Is It Future Yet? Robot Cars
Why drive when robots can do it for you? Researchers at Virginia Tech take Jorge Ribas on a ride into the future of your commute.

Top 10: Parts of a Smart Highway
It takes a pretty sophisticated infrastructure, lots of advanced technology and smart, robotic cars to make an intelligent highway possible. Here are the Top 10 most important components to make it all happen.

Puzzle: Highways to the Future
Even without advanced technology and robotic cars, modern-day highways are impressive networks. We feature a few here in our addictive puzzles.

Video: Flying Car Takes Off
A new flying car makes its first successful leap off the runway.

Blog: Transition from Street to Sky
Terrafugia CEO Carl Dietrich explains how his fuel-efficient, street-legal plane, "Transition," could reduce aviation emissions, take advantage of under-used public airports and fill awkward transportation gaps.

Slide Show: Preparing for Flight
Terrafugia's Transition is part car, part airplane. Here the pilot prepares for the vehicle's first flight. The two-seater airplane is designed to travel both in the air and on the road. See the slide show.

Got something to say? E-mail your questions, comments and concerns to discoverytech@discovery.com.

CONTENT

Wide Angle: Smart Highways

Driving into the Future

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