Congestion to disappear

[Wizzo]

Traffic jams could be a thing of the past if a new innovation from electronics experts Philips sees the light of day.

The company has patented a quite extraordinary system for making road markings vanish at the touch of a button, website Auto Express reports.

Some cities in the UK, such as Cardiff, can control traffic flow by re-directing traffic in an opposite direction with overhead signs.

But the Philips technology shuns this notion, opting instead to make road lanes narrower to get more vehicles on the road.

According to Auto Express, the nitty-gritty of the science behind such a hi-tech project involves something known as e-ink panels, which are embedded in the surface of the road.

When traffic is not a problem, the panels won't be visible. But as soon as congestion rears its ugly head, they will appear as white lines offering drivers narrower lanes.

And in an age when climate change is on the tip of everyone's tongue, eco-warriors will be delighted to hear it will be good for the environment as the lit-up lines don't require constant power to function.