Dutch deep-tech company to replace street lights with glowing road markings

Start-up company Luxene installs the first of its patented light-up road markings in the Netherlands. The new Guidance Light Lines increase safety and lower energy consumption.

Luxene launches pilot in Helmond

Fog, heavy rain, hail and snow are a driver's worst enemy. In the dark, they can make street markings invisible and cause blind navigation. Luxenes Guidance Light Lines glow in the dark and generate light along the full length of the road without relying on reflections from car lights.

A first pilot project is being trialled on the Automotive Campus in Helmond, the region of Eindhoven. The campus is renowned for offering real-life conditions to test infrastructure and technology solutions.

The innovative light system has been installed just in time for the Intertraffic Amsterdam 2026. The fair for mobility and infrastructure will host an international audience to examine the project of the Dutch company. If all goes well, this technology could soon be found on all roads in the Netherlands.

Guidance Light Lines improve road safety and visibility

The development of the Guidance Line Lights was a collaborative effort with the road marking specialist Tpaint and the infrastructure company Heijmans. Maarten Tobias, CEO and co-founder of Luxene, says: “This pilot marks a fundamental change in infrastructure. This makes roads safer, with lower energy consumption and minimal impact on the environment.”

The lights can act as reference points for marking recognition-based camera systems in vehicles, which struggle with recognising street lines in the dark. Drivers may now make full use of their car's assistant systems while experiencing less light pollution. According to Luxene, the new technology consumes 30 percent less energy than conventional methods.

Through optical fibres, which are sewn into the marking material during production, the lines generate their own light. The road itself needs no electronics. Instead, the fibres are fed by a light source above the pavement.

Installations can be carried out with standard equipment approved for use, without having to rebuild infrastructure. The markings are said to work on roads, cycle paths, industrial sites and airports without complications.