Panorama

Smart Motorways: When Technology Fails

The rollout of smart motorways has been stopped because of safety fears, but there are still 250 miles of the network with no hard shoulder. The government says new technology will make existing stretches of smart motorways safe. But what happens when the technology doesn’t work? Panorama reveals how equipment failure and power cuts can leave motorists in danger if they break down. When the system isn’t working, the cameras won’t see you, the radar won’t find you and you’ll have no idea the motorway isn’t smart anymore. Reporter Richard Bilton meets the people whose lives have been changed by the roads that keep failing.