Improving road worker safety with automated, robotic systems
Europe’s roads can be dangerous, not only for those driving on them, but also for those working to maintain them. Helping to make our roads safer for everyone is the EU-funded InfraROB(opens in new window) project. With the goal of improving the way roads are managed and maintained, the project developed robotic and automated systems that can perform many of the tasks that once required manual labour. “These systems, which combine robotics, sensors and digital support tools, are designed to reduce safety risks for workers, minimise traffic disruptions during maintenance, and increase the overall efficiency and sustainability of road operations,” says Ana Sánchez Rodríguez, project manager at the University of Vigo(opens in new window), the project’s coordinating partner. That’s exactly what they do. Tested in real conditions and in collaboration with road authorities and contractors, the InfraROB solutions resulted in a 50 % reduction in fatal accidents during maintenance operations in high-risk scenarios. It also reduced routine maintenance costs and traffic disruptions by 35 % and 30 % respectively and improved network capacity by 25 %.
Robotics improves road worker safety
Behind these numbers are a range of innovative outcomes across multiple technological areas. Among them is the progress the project made in integrating communication technologies such as V2X, which enables real-time interaction between robotic units deployed in work zones and nearby vehicles. “This represents a clear step forward in improving safety conditions for both workers and road users,” explains Sánchez Rodríguez. The project also applied fibre-optic sensing for continuous pavement monitoring – an innovation that offers infrastructure managers a new tool for early damage detection and more efficient maintenance planning.
An integrated solution for managing entire road maintenance projects
But InfraROB didn’t stop with individual prototypes. The project also integrated its different technologies, such as autonomous paving, fibre-optic sensing and V2X communication, into powerful platforms capable of coordinating data flows and decisions across the entire maintenance project. “Achieving this level of integration, both technically and logistically, is something we consider to be a major success,” remarks Sánchez Rodríguez.
Robotised systems used in real maintenance scenarios
Another major achievement was the successful integration of autonomous and robotised systems into real maintenance scenarios. This included the development and demonstration of an autonomous paving system capable of controlling levelling, layer thickness and screed steering without human intervention. “These demonstrations help raise confidence among infrastructure managers and policymakers in adopting new methods,” adds Sánchez Rodríguez.
Effective solutions for today’s road infrastructure challenges
InfraROB has successfully shown that robotics, automation and digital tools aren’t just future possibilities – they’re realistic and effective solutions for today’s infrastructure challenges. “By demonstrating that it is feasible to deploy advanced technologies in real operational environments, we’ve brought a more forward-looking approach to road maintenance while also shifting the focus from manual work to data-informed, technology-driven operations,” concludes Sánchez Rodríguez. The project has made many of its results available to the public, including detailed documentation of its demonstrations(opens in new window) and technical specifications and use cases for each system(opens in new window).