UK to connect Highway to the Internet

The United Kingdom has revealed its plan to connect a highway to the internet for the first time. This project will connect the 50-mile (80km) A14 highway that runs from Birmingham to Felixstowe.

Sensors will be placed along the length of the road which will be able to monitor traffic by sending signals to and from mobile phones in moving vehicles. This project will be done in collaboration with BT, the Department for Transport and the Cambridge start-up Neul.

Img: Shutterstock

Internet signals will be sent through the unused spectrum between television channels, the white space. The white space has a stronger signal and can penetrate materials like trees and leaves unlike the traditional Wi-Fi.

Telecoms watchdog Ofcom revealed some details about what technology traffic systems would look like.

“Sensors in cars and on the roads monitor the build-up of congestions and wirelessly send this information to a central traffic control system, which automatically imposes variable speed limits that smooth the flow of traffic,” Ofcom said. “This system could also communicate directly with cars, directing them along diverted routes to avoid the congestion and even managing their speed.”

This project could pave way for many things from tolls to self-driving cars. Britain also seeks to develop the method of sending internet signals through the white space. Britain has its driverless car project which is different from Google’s and has performed trials in recent times.

Google and some other notable tech companies have been performing trials in specific countries to test internet connections through the unused spectrum of television signals, the white space. Of course, Google also has its popular driverless car project which has undergone many trials.

Source: The Guardian

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