Autonomous Driving

With autonomous vehicles, humans will gradually become passengers in their own car, which means more time and freedom for other activities during each drive.
The implementation of intelligent control systems in cars also reduces fuel consumption and emissions, making transport cleaner. And it increases road safety, reduces the risk of accidents, and improves traffic flow.

Modern technology offers insecure drivers and elderly road users access to individual mobility. Smart roads serve as guidance systems for safe transport, in all weather conditions, day and night. Furthermore, the development of connected driving in private transport creates new jobs. With its lane markings, SWARCO Road Marking Systems is part of this development towards a new mobility of the future for humankind.

In the future, the possibility of having access to autonomous driving will be open to everyone. It will always be available and safe, day and night.

This will be a gradual transition. And with each step in autonomous driving levels, drivers will have more time, be safer and better protect the environment.

CAV (Connected and Automated Vehicles) refers to a new phase of road transport, which enables self-driving cars. Connected vehicles need road markings to determine their position. Global efforts for reliable road markings are aiming towards guiding the way for humans and machines.

At the request of the European Council, the European Commission has introduced that road markings and traffic signs shall be designed and maintained in such a way that they can be properly recognized both by human drivers and by autonomous vehicles.

The European Union Road Federation (ERF) is recommending certain minimum standards for road markings, emphasizing their width and retroreflective quality. The proposed 150 x 150 formula plays a crucial role in sustainably increasing road safety. It recommends a line width of 150 mm and 150 mcd/m²*lx of retroreflection (in dry weather) as minimum features of markings. In wet conditions, the recommended retroreflection value is 35 mcd/m²*lx.

The contrast between markings and road surface should be 3:1, or even better, 4:1. Furthermore, the ERF recommends uniformed standards across different countries.

In North America, the FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) is currently leading the process to analyze all comments on the 11th Edition of the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways) which requires a minimum width of 150 mm for road markings and the use of standardized markings.

Japan starts joint research with private sector companies regarding management standards for lane markings needed to ensure that they can be detected by vehicle on-board sensors and that automated driving vehicles stay within lanes.

In Australia and New Zealand, Austroroads (collective of the Australian and New Zealand transport agencies) is supporting the standard of harmonisation of road markings, particularly line width and retroreflectivity, to consider the needs of machine vision and lane guidance functions.

The Chinese Ministry of Transport plans to adapt general technical specifications for highway auxiliary facilities adapted to automated driving. This means consistent standards for markings and regular maintenance of the markings, similar to North America.

Chinese Government included in the 14th Five-Year-Plan to develop autonomous driving and vehicle-road collaboration travel services as well as V2X pilot zones on a national level, accelerating the construction of intelligent connected vehicle road infrastructure. The 2035 target is to operate various connected vehicles with highly automated driving capabilities across vast areas of China.

Road markings by SWARCO Road Marking Systems already reach retroreflection values of up to 1000 mcd/m²*lx (dry), and provide improved values in wet night conditions.