This is one nice topic but why are people pointing out the negatives to this?

Yes there is a possibility of the solar panels getting hacked and messed around with but wouldn't that system be under the same system as the traffic lights? And I don't see those getting hacked :[]

I believe this is a great idea and can help the world in many ways.

Btw wouldn't these have trackers or an alarm if they are pulled out from the ground if they are so expensive?

We aren't talking about the same level of technology... However yes an alarm system would be neat. I don't know enough about them but it was the first thing that popped in my mind. And if a group of hackers hacked it and changed the street lines, then imagine the chaos it could cause. People here do accidents when a traffic light stops working. I can't imagine what would happen if the whole street had random lines on it, flashing colors, etc.

they would be nice, but very expensive.

plus, what happens when someone breaks one? its glass, so once someone figures out a way to break one they will break lots costing tons of money.

put the money to better use, congress. the world is hungry.

Why dont people read?

can hold a tractor? sorry i don't see many people going fast or crashing in tractors, just saying its not every day you'll see a farm house tractor cruising in normal traffic they're too SLOW. Also, i ride hard and if i can rip up concrete from a stack im pretty sure i'll rip up hexagons too, and also you gotta think of the kids, if i ever have kids imma teach them how to piss off the neighborhood and rim ride their bmx's up and down the street, and i'd rather them rim ride and rip up sparkz on the concrete rather than glass hexagons, what about people walking around the corner to the swimming center? walk on glass bare foot in 42 degree(I'm Australian) weather?? ahahahah yeah theirs a good reason to sue the councils, glass hexagons bloody gave the bottom of peoples feet 3rd degree burns, great job. Its a stupid idea, good luck getting grip on the hexagons to, will be more car crash deaths than ever before if they actually try this idea..

Glass has come a long way. It probably isn't just going to be glass but some weird polymer hybrid which could be used to deflect heat or use it as an insulator.

I just think having the sides of a building pointed at the sun is a better idea than having miles of underground wires throughout the streets or highways.

So it can withstand the weight of a tractor when it's flat on it but what about chipping damage from a crowbar, sledgehammer and axes?

Im 90% positive it wont be regular window glass, itll be some polymer like t0ri said.

It could be some really thick plexiglass too. I highly doubt your motorcycle could rip any of the hexagons up, theyre built really strong.

i still think it can backfire hard, what if there's a massive crash, some get cracked, than it rains. and little bit of water gets into 1 hexagon, since they'll all be connected boom all disabled by mother nature... don't trust it.

This is going to be a more flexible surface than concrete, one reason why you destroy the asphalt is because it doesn't absorb the kinetic force with flexibility, but density.

Think of this as the precursor to our space age windows we see in ever single scifi movie.

This will flex and absorb such blows, though it can make for a slick surface

There are some major problems, but the provided video raises some great points with all of the revenue and jobs it will generate. the panels themselves won't be as expensive as you all think. $180 per panel at the most. Remember, it's just a circuit board, some LEDs and tempered glass. Yes, it does get expensive when applied to even a driveway, and moreso when an entire road or street is considered, but it pays for itself in the long run.

The only problem that none of you seem to have considered is the time and effort put into implementing this idea. Roads will have to be closed off while workers put them in, thus clogging up traffic everywhere, especially on highways. This is an idea that will start off small, and will then turn into a nationwide thing if it is decided that it's worth it.