In order to improve the quality and sustainability of roads, it is necessary to reduce traffic congestion, atmospheric pollution and energy consumption, modernising transport infrastructure to make it suitable to current technology and future use. New mobility-related technology can make roads safer, more comfortable and more efficient.
The transport sector is increasingly oriented to the adoption of vehicles that are connected, autonomous, shared and electric.

• Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAV) are connected vehicles equipped with assisted driving systems. CAVs are driven by people who receive information from the infrastructure that is useful in order to avoid accidents, reduce traffic congestion and improve people’s safety. 
  
• Self-Driving cars or Autonomous Vehicles (AV) are vehicles that are capable of sensing the surrounding environment through a range of sensors and connection systems and to interpret this information in order to identify the most suitable routes, avoid obstacles and safely move with limited or no human input. 
  
• Shared Mobility is a social and economic phenomenon that consists of travelling from one place to another by sharing vehicles, spaces and routes with other users, in order to move in a more efficient, faster and environmentally friendly manner. The user relies on digital platforms to share vehicles or routes: car, bike and scooter sharing, carpooling and other similar peer-to-peer or on-demand methods of sharing.
  
• Lastly, Electric Vehicles (EV) are vehicles driven by an electric motor powered by a battery pack, which reduce energy consumption and the emission of pollutants into the atmosphere. The electric motor can be combined with an internal combustion engine, creating a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV).
  

New forms of mobility and the Internet of Things

These new forms of mobility require a process of digital transformation involving the road network oriented towards environmental sustainability and the Internet of Things (IoT).
In order to manage new forms of mobility, it is necessary to introduce:

• solutions for electrical recharging
  
• monitoring drones and sensors to collect information on weather conditions, traffic and the state of health of the infrastructure
  
• systems to process the data from vehicles, sensors or other sources
  
• infrastructure management software capable of guaranteeing constant monitoring and preventive or special maintenance
  
• two-way radio communication devices for Vehicle-Infrastructure and Vehicle-Vehicle communication
  
• digital, dynamic and integrated signage to adapt speed limits, safety distances, and lane width and direction according to real-time needs.

Navigation or sharing apps provide users with information regarding deviations, accidents, alternative routes, parking, refuelling, weather conditions, vehicle availability, rescue operations and much more. The experience of travel is improved in terms of usability and safety not only for those travelling by car, but also pedestrians or cyclists, users of pushchairs or wheelchairs.

Obstacles to the implementation of Smart Mobility and the role of street lighting

The spreading of Smart Mobility is however hindered by economic aspects (the cost of adapting the road network), technological aspects (vehicle standardisation and unification of platforms and services) and regulations (in terms of ethical, social and economic aspects such as privacy, cyber security risks and responsibility in cases of accidents involving AV or CAV).

It is however important to bear future developments of mobility in mind when carrying out road network maintenance or when creating new sections. Road surfaces, signage and urban furnishing should be designed to be compatible with upcoming updates to the infrastructure and therefore to last longer.
As they are distributed throughout the territory and run on electricity, road and street lighting systems will be fundamental for the creation of Smart Roads. Each light unit can currently be set up for the integration of sensors and communication devices, and for the enabling of IoT technology. The solutions proposed by the Cariboni Group for the city can be set up with a ZHAGA 18 interface, making the system future-proof and smart-ready.