The Ministry of Transport issued the Opinions on Promoting Digital Transformation of Highways and Constructing and Developing Smart Highways

Recently, the Ministry of Transport issued the Opinions on Promoting Digital Transformation of Highways and Constructing and Developing Smart Highways (hereinafter referred to as the Opinions). It aims to promote the digital transformation of the full highway construction, maintenance, and operation process, support the deep integration of highway transportation with industrial and supply chains, develop the highway digital economy, and provide service and support for boosting China’s strength in transportation, science and technology, and for building a digital China.

In line with relevant arrangements in the Program of Building National Strength in Transportation and the Five-year Action Plan for Building China into a Transport Powerhouse (2023-2027), the Opinions set forth goals for 2027 and 2035 to achieve, in phases, a unified model and data system for the entire life cycle of highways and the deep application of digital technologies to enhance quality and efficiency while reducing operating costs.

The Opinions clearly states that China will build both physical highways and digital twin highways, construct a modern highway infrastructure system, and develop a digital economy and industrial ecosystem. China will also promote the transformation of design, construction methods, and project management models based on digitalization, as well as the reengineering of related business processes, reshaping of rules, and institutional reforms.

The Opinion proposes major tasks of “six improvements, five promotions, and one solidification”, namely improving the digitalization of design and construction, maintenance operations, road network services, government services, technical standards, and infrastructure support, promoting smart construction, maintenance, travel, governance, and standard upgrades, and solidifying the digital foundation, with emphasis laid on “enhancing safety, ensuring smooth traffic, improving efficiency, optimizing services, reducing costs, and cutting emissions.”

The Opinions clearly states that China will select important corridors, key regional road networks, and major projects on the basis of new construction, reconstruction, and maintenance projects, and give priority to them in the pilot projects for building a country with great transport strength, striving to produce a batch of pilot outcomes and technical solutions that are clear in scenario application, significant in benefits, economically feasible, replicable and applicable to other areas.