JUNE 2023 AFTERMARKET 19 EYEBROW www.aftermarketonline.net d Protecting June 2023 Automechanika at Stand S60 See us on As an independent body, VLS protects you by verifying the claims made on lubricants. This means you can be assured that the engine oils used in your customers’ vehicles can meet the claims being made. If you have any concerns about a lubricant product, report them to us on 01442 875922 or admin@ukla-vls.org.uk 3 a t www.ukla-vls.org.uk customers you and your How would this benefit drivers & motorways? National Highways is building their vision for Digital Roads around three core themes; Design and construction, digital operations, and digital for customers. All three centre around streamlining the efficiency of motorway use in the UK through the application of technology. Implementing digital design into road maintenance and construction means you can optimise how the work will be conducted through the design before it even begins. Having the ability to see a digital visual of what work needs to be done can ensure designs are correct from the start, reducing the need for changes or amendments down the line. They can also visualise any safety concerns for the workers on the site. Control room operators will also benefit from digital innovations on motorways. Giving them better tools to detect and respond to road incidents in order to avoid further danger or congestion will result in smoother traffic flow and lower carbon emissions. Potential detriments With all these points proposing positive changes that could happen with the introduction of digital roads, are there any worries that could come with it? In short, yes. It is unclear how the public will respond to frequent updates. Though with these new systems you’ll be able to see what incidents occur on the road or the congestion caused by traffic, this may cause more build-ups of people trying to outwit the traffic. Giving all motorists the option to observe updates about the motorway means it could cause further problems with people trying to get around them. Data management could also be an issue. Data protection is something we can never take for granted, even with social networks such as Facebook that we trust to protect what we share. On top of that, combining digital data processes of recording trends with how it’s inputted by humans means there are bound to be problems along the way. Introducing Digital Roads could completely reinvent the way we approach motorway travel. Technological advancements could mean a reduction in congestion due to traffic and road maintenance thanks to pre-visualisation using artificial intelligence and 3D models to see what needs to be done. This can help motorists and keep workers safe, so there is no danger of injury when working on the road builds. Problems will arise from moving to a digital approach to motorways, however, digital technology will contribute hugely to how long trips are taken.
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