Currently in crowdfunding, these hexagonal pavers can provide energy, melt accumulated snow and ice, light up with LEDs, all while being tough enough to support trucks weighing 250,000 pounds.

Designed by American electrical engineer Scott Brusaw to work everywhere from roads, parking lots and driveways to sidewalks, bike paths and playgrounds, you can walk, drive or park on these hexagrams with ease. They have been extensively tested for load-bearing capacity as well as traction and impact resistance.

More about the project from IndieGoGo (graphics by Sam Cornett): “Solar Roadways is a modular paving system of solar panels that can … pay for themselves primarily through the generation of electricity, which [in turn] can power homes and businesses connected via driveways and parking lots.”

Current working prototypes are already powerful, as demonstrated above. Beyond existing capabilities there are many possibilities for further development, including mutual induction technologies that would allow charging while driving and more complex LED systems to create changing road displays on demand.