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Cover of Best Practice in Smart Motorways Operations: Motorway Future Trends
Best Practice in Smart Motorways Operations: Motorway Future Trends
  • Publication no: AP-R685-23
  • ISBN: 978-1-922700-80-3
  • Published: 21 March 2023

This report identifies the major operational and technology trends and assesses their impact on motorway operations for the next 10 to 15 years.

Global macro trends were distilled into trends that were pertinent to transport. These trends were shortlisted for consideration of their impacts on Transport Management Centre operations, live network operations, operations planning, incident management and other areas of motorways operations to inform the development of best practice guidance in responding to these and other impacts.

The shortlisted trends included increasing expectation for enhanced traveller experience, urbanisation, inter-agency integration, growth of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity risks, proliferation of real time data and vehicle technology advances. Each will have varying impacts on different aspects of motorway operations, with technology trends identified as a main force of change for some areas (e.g. operations planning will continue to rely on good processes and people whereas reducing incidents will be heavily influenced by future technology).

The report also proposes a Smart Motorways Classification Model as a prerequisite for developing best practice guidelines for smart motorways operations. The model serves to classify the possible range of motorway types that exist and likely to exist amongst Austroads member jurisdictions to facilitate the application of a Motorway Management Capability framework and an Integration and Operation Capability framework, as part of best practice.

  • Summary
  • 1. Introduction
    • 1.1 Project Background
    • 1.2 Purpose and Scope
    • 1.3 Methodology
      • 1.3.1 Future Trends Research
      • 1.3.2 Smart Motorways Classification Model (SMCM)
    • 1.4 Glossary
  • 2. Future Trends Research
    • 2.1 Research Approach
    • 2.2 Identification of Macro Trends
    • 2.3 Identification of Transport-Related Trends
  • 3. Insights from Future Trends Workshop
    • 3.1 Workshop Approach
    • 3.2 Workshop Outputs
  • 4. Research Correlation with Workshop Insights
    • 4.1 Correlation Approach
    • 4.2 Shortlisted Trends for Impact Consideration
  • 5. Impact of Shortlisted Trends on Motorway Operations
  • 6. Future Trends: Conclusions
  • 7. The Smart Motorways Classification Model (SMCM) – Overview
    • 7.1 Introduction
    • 7.2 Purpose of the SMCM
  • 8. Developing the SMCM
    • 8.1 Approach
    • 8.2 Guiding Principles
  • 9. The Classification Model
    • 9.1 Dimensions Covered in the SMCM
    • 9.2 Typical Operating Characteristics
      • 9.2.1 Operating Characteristics Levels
      • 9.2.2 Operating Characteristics Categories
      • 9.2.3 Operating Characteristics Levels and Categories
      • 9.2.4 Technology View
    • 9.3 Typical Operational Outcomes
      • 9.3.1 Typical Operational Outcomes
      • 9.3.2 Key Performance Indicators
      • 9.3.3 Target Setting
    • 9.4 How to Use the SMCM
      • 9.4.1 General Instructions
      • 9.4.2 Example use of the SMCM
  • 10. The SMCM: Conclusions
  • References
  • Appendix A Future Trends Workshop Outputs and Mural™ Board
  • Appendix B Future Trends Research Correlation and AirTable™ Register
  • Appendix C Smart Motorways Classification Model