HANOI: The Vietnam Road Administration (VRA) has begun testing solar road studs on a section of National Highway No. 6, as part of efforts to improve road safety on one of the country's most challenging mountain routes.
The pilot project marks the latest application of smart transport technology aimed at overcoming the limitations of conventional road markings and warning systems, particularly in poor visibility.
According to the VRA, the trial is being carried out on a stretch of National Highway No. 6 in Van Ho Commune, Son La Province. The highway is a key transport corridor linking Hanoi with the northwestern region and is known for its steep gradients, successive hairpin bends, dense fog and slippery road conditions during the rainy season.
The pilot section, from Km176+200 to Km176+700, has a carriageway between seven and nine metres wide and passes through a mountain pass with continuous curves and gradients of between two and five per cent.
The area is frequently affected by adverse weather, with heavy rain and thick fog significantly reducing visibility. Existing road studs and lane markings rely on vehicle headlights to reflect light, limiting their effectiveness at sharp bends and blind spots, especially at night.
To address these risks, the VRA has authorised Road Management Area I to install solar road studs that emit their own light rather than simply reflecting headlights.
The devices charge during daylight through integrated solar panels and automatically begin flashing in low-light conditions, creating a continuous illuminated guide along the roadway.
Officials hope the active lighting system will enable motorists to identify road edges, curves and hazardous sections from greater distances, improving visibility in heavy rain and fog and reducing the risk of crashes on mountain roads.
Road Management Area I said the installation would be closely monitored to ensure the work complies with traffic safety regulations and causes minimal disruption to vehicles using the route.
Dinh Trung Thanh, Director of Road Management Area I, said the system would be evaluated after the trial period based on its ability to guide drivers, improve safety, withstand operating conditions and perform under real traffic conditions.
The results would help determine whether the technology should be introduced on other highways with similar terrain.
The latest trial follows an earlier project in which the VRA partnered with 3M Vietnam Co, Ltd. to test high-performance reflective pavement marking tapes on the same highway.
The latest trial is part of the agency's broader drive to modernise road infrastructure through smart technology, with improving safety on accident-prone mountain highways a key priority. — Vietnam News/ANN
