Istanbul launches Türkiye’s first 5G-powered smart road

ISTANBUL

Türkiye has taken a significant step toward next-generation mobility with the launch of Istanbul’s first 5G-supported smart road, a pilot project designed to enhance traffic safety, efficiency and driver awareness through real-time data integration.

The Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) project has been deployed along a 40-kilometer corridor stretching from Hasdal Junction to Istanbul Airport.

The route marks the country’s first comprehensive, real-world application of intelligent transport systems under live traffic conditions.

The system relies on a combination of 5G and fiber-optic infrastructure, enabling vehicles and road infrastructure to communicate dynamically. Through this network, drivers receive instant, location-specific notifications regarding road, traffic and environmental conditions.

Potential hazards, including accidents, stationary vehicles, black ice, debris on the road or lane closures, are detected in real time and communicated immediately to road users.

The smart road integrates a suite of advanced technologies, including cameras, roadside sensors, artificial intelligence-based image processing, incident detection systems, meteorological data integration and variable message signs.

Authorities say the system is designed to reduce travel times, minimize unnecessary delays and optimize the use of existing road networks, which significantly improves safety standards.

Speaking at a launch event, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu underscored the broader transformation underway in mobility systems.

“In an era where the internet and autonomous vehicle technologies are rapidly expanding, transportation is no longer limited to roads and vehicles alone. It has evolved into an ecosystem where vehicles communicate intelligently with each other, with infrastructure and with their surroundings,” he said.

“With this system, we provide our drivers with real-time, location-sensitive information on road, traffic and environmental conditions. This makes travel safer, more comfortable, more efficient and more environmentally friendly,” he noted.

Announcing that the project’s second phase will be implemented in the capital Ankara, Uraloğlu said, “Every step taken here strengthens the foundation of our intelligent transport infrastructure and serves as a roadmap for the future.”

The country is set to officially launch nationwide 5G services on April 1, a milestone expected to significantly enhance connectivity.