Conceptualized by Daan Roosegaarde in collaboration with Heijmans Infrastructure, smart highways would transform them into dynamic and interactive surfaces. (Courtesy of Studio Roosegaarde)

These glow-in-the-dark road markings aren't just pretty - they save money and energy, too.

These luminescent strips replaced streetlights on a 0.3-mile stretch of highway in the Netherlands, part of an experiment that might change the way roads are illuminated across the globe.

The roads markings, which went into effect Sunday night, might even one day be able to include temperature-sensitive paint to warn drivers of the possibility of ice.

The lights are charged up by the sun throughout the day and then last up to eight hours - long enough to get through most of or all the way through the night. But the real test is whether the paint can stand up to the wear and tear of constant traffic.

Conceptualized by Daan Roosegaarde in collaboration with Heijmans Infrastructure, smart highways would transforming them into dynamic and interactive surfaces. (Courtesy of Studio Roosegaarde)