2 . Officials of Detroit, Michigan, have equipped a piece of road with new technology designed to charge electric vehicles (EVs) on the path. The roadway is meant to serve as a demonstration project for the technology, which could be expanded to larger road systems.

The system uses a series of copper wires placed underneath the road. These wires have the ability to send electricity through a magnetic field to charge an EV’s battery. Charging can happen while the car is driving or sitting above the equipment. Electreon says the electric road system is safe for people and animals walking over it and does not harm drivers.

The technology was created by Electreon, a developer of wireless charging solutions for EVs. Stefan Tongur, Electreon’s vice president of business development, told The Associated Press EVs require special equipment to receive the wireless signal. “The technology is smart,” Tongur said, and “knows who you are...”

The electrified road stretches about one half-kilometer. It will be used to test and improve the technology in preparation for wider releases. Tongur said the project aims to “demonstrate how wireless charging unlocks widespread EV adoption, addressing limited range, grid (电网) limitations, and battery size and costs.” He looks forward to a future in which, in his words, “EVs are the norm, not the exception.”

Michigan’s Department of Transportation (DOT) signed a five-year agreement with Electreon to develop the roadway charging system. Officials have said they plan to build another electrified stretch of road in another part of the city. Michigan transportation officials say the wireless-charging roadway project has helped position the state and city of Detroit as national leaders in EV technology. “In Michigan, we want to stay ahead of the curve,” Michigan DOT Director Bradley C.Wieferich told the AP.