AdaptiveSpeed
2026
Innovative Product Award
Winner
Belgisch Instituut voor Intelligente Mobiliteit / Institut Belge pour la Mobilité Intelligente
Designers / Creators / Authors / Leaders
Sophie De Smet (Traffic Systems Engineer), Luca Moretti (AI Mobility Specialist), Elise Dubois (Human-Centered Design Engineer), Jonas Van der Meer (Infrastructure Integration Engineer)
AdaptiveSpeed is an intelligent speed guidance system that dynamically calculates and displays the optimal driving speed for specific road segments in real time. Installed as a network of digitally connected roadside units, the system continuously processes live data inputs, including:
weather conditions such as rain, fog, and ice risk
ambient temperature and road surface conditions
real-time traffic density and flow patterns
visibility and time-of-day factors
Rather than presenting fixed limits, the system communicates a precise, situation-based recommended speed, allowing drivers to respond more accurately to changing conditions.
The project is based on familiar traffic signage to ensure immediate comprehension and adoption, while embedding advanced intelligence beneath a simple interface.
Its modular structure allows for targeted implementation in high-risk zones (e.g. highways, school routes),
gradual scaling across national road networks and also seamless integration with existing traffic management systems
The design prioritizes clarity over complexity, ensuring that critical information can be understood at a glance.
AdaptiveSpeed is awarded for its ability to transform a universally recognized system into a responsive and intelligent infrastructure. By aligning speed guidance with real-world conditions, the project addresses a critical gap between regulation and reality.
Its combination of technological sophistication and user-centered clarity positions it as a scalable solution with far-reaching impact. AdaptiveSpeed demonstrates how innovation in mobility does not require reinvention, but rather the precise evolution of what already exists.
