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INDIANAPOLIS â The Indiana Department of Transportation and Purdue University plan to jointly develop the worldâs first contactless wireless-charging concrete pavement highway segment.
The project will use innovative magnetizable concrete â developed by German startup Magment GmbH â enabling wireless charging of electric vehicles as they drive.
âIndiana is known as the Crossroads of America and weâre committed to fortifying our position as a transportation leader by innovating to support the emerging vehicle technology,â Gov. Eric J. Holcomb said. âThis partnership to develop wireless charging technology for highways sends a strong signal that Indiana is on the leading edge of delivering the infrastructure needed to support the adoption of electric vehicles.â
Indiana saw 32 highway work zone deaths in 2019, the most recent year with available data. That s higher than any year in almost a decade. But researchers at Purdue University are trying to use data to stop accidents before they happen.