Olympia Odos, concessionaire of the Elefsina-Corinthos-Patras-Pyrgos motorway, has extended the “Smart Tunnel” innovation for predictive maintenance to the four largest tunnels of the Patras perimeter. This marks the beginning of the large-scale deployment of the innovation, which was tested in 2019, to eventually equip all tunnels and buildings on the motorway.

The “Smart Tunnel” innovation ensures that the tunnel equipment (tunnel ventilation, water pumps, UPS batteries, power generators, transformers, etc.) constantly operates at peak performance. Instead of waiting for systems to fail at the end of their life cycle, through “Smart Tunnel” Olympia Odos determines the optimal time for repair or replacement before failure, ensuring uninterrupted equipment functionality.

The innovative system was developed in collaboration with startups ES Systems and Ex Machina and uses sensors to collect real-time data, which is wirelessly transmitted to the cloud. Artificial intelligence analyses the data to detect patterns and predict potential problems, enabling timely interventions and reducing unplanned downtime.

The pilot project, launched by Olympia Odos in 2019 in the 700m Gerioscoholio tunnel in Patras’ Perimetra, confirmed the feasibility of equipping the tunnel with IoT-enabled sensors as they are expected to bring significant improvements in maintenance: a 30% reduction in equipment failure, improved maintenance response times by 25%, but most importantly an increase in system lifetime by around 25% for batteries and up to 50% for pumps and fans.

Fifty percent by 50% of the total number of pumps and pumps, and by approximately 25% of the total number of pumps and pumps’ lifetime.

With this large-scale development – the first of its kind in Greece – Olympia Odos is setting a new technological standard for how motorways operate.

As part of its commitment to continuous improvement, Olympia Odos recently unveiled the first Adaptive Lighting System in Greece. This system optimizes energy consumption while maintaining high visibility for drivers. The Smart Tunnel reduces the need for maintenance work, making the tunnels fully operational. These initiatives demonstrate Olympia Odos’ dedication to improving highway performance and providing high-quality service.