Connected vehicles can collect data including road and traffic conditions, emergency alerts and the behaviour of other drivers. They can also generate data about extreme manoeuvres from drivers – such as harsh braking – that is accurately geolocated to particular points on the road network.

Once acquired, this data can give highway engineers insights into which locations need to be looked at, such as those where there are repeated indications of emergency manoeuvres. This can also help identify the causes of these manoeuvres such as a hidden junction, regularly queueing traffic or even a damaged road surface.

Efforts can then be made to maintain the road or change its layout before a serious crash takes place.

The RAC Foundation also suggested that the data could be used to dynamically change digital signage and traffic lights for motorists in real time.

However, the study’s author – Andy Graham of White Willow Consulting – showed that many of the opportunities...