Impacts of Automated Vehicles on Highway Infrastructure

Gopalakrishna, Deepak; Carlson, Paul J.; Sweatman, Peter; Raghunathan, Deepak; Brown, Les; Serulle, Nayel Urena · 2021 · ROSA P / United States. Federal Highway Administration

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Summary

This report, published by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2021, addresses the potential impacts of automated vehicles (AVs) on highway infrastructure. The study was motivated by the need to inform infrastructure owner–operators (IOOs) and stakeholders about how roadway assets might evolve to support AV technologies without compromising the needs of human drivers. Given the limited resources and varying development paces across infrastructure, automotive, and technology sectors, the research aimed to identify cost-effective strategies for infrastructure adaptation. The scope covers physical infrastructure, traffic control devices (TCDs), intelligent transportation systems (ITS), and multimodal infrastructure, excluding operational or policy recommendations. The research employed a multiphase methodology involving a comprehensive literature review, interviews with AV industry stakeholders, and engagement with highway infrastructure owners and operators. Data were gathered through national stakeholder workshops held in conjunction with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Committee on Maintenance and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Automated Vehicle Symposium in 2019. The study analyzed interactions between AV sensors and infrastructure elements, focusing on levels of automation and operational design domains (ODDs). Key findings indicate that pavement markings are the foremost infrastructure priority for supporting AV deployment. Stakeholders identified a critical lack of uniformity in pavement markings across the United States, which hinders the effectiveness of lane-departure prevention systems. The report highlights that while current advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) rely heavily on consistent physical infrastructure, automated driving systems (ADS) developers have varying dependencies on infrastructure changes. Other significant findings include the potential for AV platooning to impact pavement rutting and fatigue, challenges for ADS in reading LED signs and barrier crossings, and the need for standardized digital information for work zones. Multimodal infrastructure requires improved mode separation and connected infrastructure to communicate vulnerable road user presence. The significance of this study lies in its provision of a roadmap for AV readiness, offering specific recommendations for IOOs. It emphasizes the need for tightening TCD uniformity, developing machine-vision standards, and creating strategic approaches to pavement marking maintenance. The report identifies eight specific research needs, including establishing AV test scenarios with representative infrastructure conditions and developing road safety audit materials that consider AV requirements. By synthesizing industry feedback and current knowledge gaps, the report assists transportation agencies in preparing for the eventual infrastructure evolution driven by AV deployment, ensuring that infrastructure design and maintenance practices support both human and automated drivers effectively.

Key finding

Pavement markings are identified as the most critical infrastructure element for supporting automated vehicle deployment, with significant emphasis placed on improving uniformity, design, and maintenance standards to ensure detectability by both current ADAS and future ADS technologies.

Methodology

mixed_methods

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• ehmi external hmi
• signage environment
• driverless ads