If we were to tell you that a family from Idaho had it in their heads that it would be a good idea for us all to be driving around on solar panels, you might think they were off their nut. If, on the other hand, you knew that the U.S. department of transportation gave the project $100,000 back in 2009, it might inspire a little bit more confidence in what seems like a crazy idea.

For the last five years, Julie and Scott Brusaw have been fine-tuning their solar roadway concept. First, they textured a super-durable glass roadway surface to give it the same kind of grip that cars get from asphalt. Then, they added LEDs beneath the glass to create light-up lane lines (since you can't paint a solar panel without making it useless). They even made the panels self-heating so that they won't freeze during inclement weather, and will also prevent ice from forming on the road surface.