In 2025, China’s smart expressway construction has moved beyond the early stage of prioritizing “showy technology” and technological stacking, moving into a phase centered on pragmatic implementation, system integration, and operational value. Many industry observers see this as a major transition from pilot demonstrations to deeper integration and scaled application.
Smart Expressways: From Technological Overlay to Value Creation
Current development is characterized by three fundamental transformations:
- Deep Integration as the Technological Theme:
The application of technology is shifting from deploying single devices or systems to integrating multiple systems such as perception, communication, computing, and energy. The aim is to achieve stronger coordination across perception, decision-making, and control. The technical architecture is also evolving from vehicle-road coordination toward an integrated vehicle-road-cloud framework. - Large-Scale and Collaborative Projects as New Features:
Cross-provincial and network-wide collaborative projects have increased significantly, particularly on high-volume freight corridors and economically strategic routes. These projects focus on building comprehensive control systems that help reduce fragmented management between road sections and data silos. - Value-Driven Effectiveness as Industry Direction:
Industry focus is shifting from pursuing high-end equipment toward practical business value, improving traffic efficiency, reducing operation and maintenance costs, and enhancing travel experience, especially on heavily used national expressway corridors. Integrated development concepts such as transportation plus energy and transportation plus digital economy are gaining broader adoption.
At the same time, disruptive technologies such as AI large language models are beginning to reshape software architecture and digital infrastructure. 2026 is likely to be a key year for testing their real operational effectiveness. Hardware selection remains diverse, with solutions increasingly chosen based on local conditions and performance outcomes.
Core Challenges: Cybersecurity and Management Adaptation
Amid rapid development, the industry faces two major challenges:
- Cybersecurity Gaps Require Urgent Attention:
As road networks become more connected and intelligent, fragmented cybersecurity protection models are becoming inadequate. Building AI-enabled, network-level collaborative defense systems, shifting from passive response to proactive risk detection, is increasingly viewed as essential for stable smart road network operations. - Management Systems Lag Behind Technological Change:
Many experts note that the core challenge of smart expressways is not purely technological. It lies in how management processes, institutional frameworks, and technology evolve together. Digital transformation is fundamentally about management change. Without supporting institutional mechanisms, advanced technologies rarely translate into operational results.
Future Outlook: Deepening Applications and Industry Coordination
Looking ahead over the next two years, smart expressways are expected to continue scaling based on the implementation momentum of 2025, moving in the following directions:
- Technology Level:
Integration between communication technologies and AI models will accelerate, enabling more precise network perception, smarter decision-making, and faster response times. Perception and control systems are expected to move toward real-time architectures based on edge computing and local control. - Application Level:
Key use cases are expected to scale. For example, truck platooning may move from pilot projects toward standardized operations, while smart toll stations and free-flow tolling models may significantly reshape toll collection systems. Applications are increasingly focusing on targeted operational scenarios that support broader service delivery. - Business and Ecosystem Level:
A diversified model combining basic services and value-added services is expected to develop further, with greater focus on unlocking the operational value of data. The industry is moving toward tighter coordination across technology providers, construction partners, operators, and service companies.
Taken together, 2025 represents a pivotal year for smart expressway development, marking a shift toward practical delivery and operational value. The industry is increasingly focused on solving real operational challenges and creating measurable outcomes. While addressing cybersecurity risks and institutional adaptation challenges, the sector continues moving toward improving efficiency for managers, enhancing travel experience for users, and strengthening long-term operational sustainability for operators.
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