The A14 road connecting Birmingham and Felixstowe in the UK will become the country’s first internet-connected road in a pilot project to trial new wireless technology.

There will be 20 public and private firms participating in Ofcom’s pilot project by running trials to test a variety of innovative applications over the next six months.

As part of the trial to help reduce congestion and improve road safety, a network of sensors will be deployed along the 50 mile road to transmit information on traffic movement, which will then be transmitted to the mobile phones of motorists on upcoming traffic.

The white-space technology, which uses white spaces to transmit data on traffic congestion and varying traffic conditions to vehicles, can even enable the government to automatically control car speeds.

This technology transmits signals over the gaps between television channels instead of the mobile phone network, and the radio waves used by white space technology devices have the capacity to travel longer distances and through walls.

"BT and technology specialist Neul are conducting the trial together with the Department for Transport."

BT and technology specialist Neul are conducting the trial together with the Department for Transport.

Microsoft, together with the University of Strathclyde’s Centre for White Space Communications, will examine how white spaces can provide people with access to free wi-fi in Glasgow, a city with a low level of broadband take-up.

Microsoft will also test using white spaces to link a network of sensors around Glasgow to create a ‘smart city’.

Internet service provider Click4internet will use white spaces to examine rural broadband in hard-to-reach places obscured by thick foliage or challenging topography.

A number of firms such as Google, Nominet, LS telcom, iconectiv, Key Bridge, Fairspectrum and Spectrum Bridge have also expressed interest in testing intelligent databases that ensure white spaces can be used without causing harmful interference to other devices.

According to Ofcom, the trial will make the UK one the first countries worldwide to road-test ‘white space’ technology.

Ofcom expects that the technology can be completely rolled out during 2014, subject to the successful completion of pilots.