National design principles establish a common foundation for future mobility infrastructure

Monday, 20 April 2026

Road agencies across Australia and New Zealand now have a nationally coordinated set of design principles to inform how roads and infrastructure can adapt to emerging mobility technologies.

Road infrastructure is increasingly required to support both human drivers and vehicle systems as automated vehicles, connected and automated vehicles, electric vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems continue to develop. These technologies place new demands on physical and digital infrastructure, particularly in supporting safe and reliable conditions where vehicles with different levels of technology share the road.

The design principles have been developed by Austroads to provide a consistent reference point for road agencies as they navigate this transition. The guidance recognises that infrastructure adaptation is influenced by a range of factors, including policy and regulatory settings, technology maturity, community expectations and the practical realities of operating road networks at different stages of readiness.

“This work reflects the environment agencies are operating in today, where new vehicle technologies are emerging alongside existing traffic,” said Joanne Vanselow, Austroads Vehicle and Technology Program Manager. “The design principles provide a shared, evidence‑based foundation that agencies can draw on when considering future infrastructure decisions.”

The guidance brings together 24 priority design topics across two domains: physical infrastructure and digital infrastructure. In total, it sets out more than 130 high‑level design principles intended to support consistent, informed decision‑making across planning, design, delivery, operations and asset management.

Physical infrastructure topics cover issues such as the readability of lane markings, signage and traffic signals for both people and vehicle systems, managing transitions between automated and manual control, maintaining pavements under heavier electric vehicles, supporting safe interaction with vulnerable road users, and adapting kerbside environments for automated pick‑up, drop‑off and charging.

Digital infrastructure topics focus on the availability, accuracy and reliability of road information used by connected and automated vehicles. This includes awareness of temporary and dynamic traffic conditions, governance of digital road data, cybersecurity, vehicle‑to‑infrastructure communications, and the digital representation of road rules, restrictions and changes to the network.

A central theme of the guidance is the need to maintain alignment between physical and digital infrastructure. The principles emphasise that safe operation increasingly depends on these elements working together, particularly during roadworks, incidents and other changing conditions.

“The principles are intentionally high‑level and non‑prescriptive,” said Joanne. “They are designed to be adaptable, allowing agencies to apply them in ways that reflect local context, operational need and technology readiness, rather than setting fixed requirements that may quickly become outdated.”

The report also identifies areas where further guidance development and research will be required, including national consistency in road markings and signage, digital road data management, kerbside electric vehicle charging, and emerging safety considerations linked to vehicle mass and pavement performance.

Download Design Principles for Adapting Roads and Infrastructure for Emerging Mobility Technologies