The Netherlands are testing glow-in-the-dark road markings on a 500m stretch of motorway this week, to analyse how drivers react and how well the markings last in a real-world environment.

Interactive artist Daan Roosegaarde teamed up with Dutch civil engineering firm Heijmans to work on the idea, with the glow-in-the-dark lines containing a “photo-luminising” powder that stores up energy form the sun during the day, before giving off a green glow during the night.

If the markings are found to be a success, then they could reduce the need for street lamps on large sections of motorways and other roads, which would reduce energy consumption and costs.