Roads have been around for centuries, but it’s only fairly recently they’ve started being paved with asphalt, marked with white lines, and fitted with traffic lights.

Much of how, and why, roads have developed from the compacted-earth thoroughfares of yesteryear to high-tech motorways is thanks to advancements in the vehicles that use them. From the horse-drawn cart to Henry Ford’s Model T and new generation electric cars, vehicle design has come a long way in the past 150 years. And each advancement has brought profound change to existing social and economic structures, as well as driving the development of higher-performance roads.

The pace of transport innovation is only going to accelerate, and it may not be too long before vehicles are communicating with roads to drive themselves. As cities grow and vehicles change, our road networks need to adapt and evolve.

While Transurban’s roads are already some of the most technologically advanced in the world, we’re not resting on our laurels. We’re already busy preparing our roads for the future.