- Honda reveals results of pothole detection pilot study
- The project uses an existing car camera and LiDAR technology
- Sharing road data could save governments millions of dollars a year
No matter where you live, potholes and deteriorated driving surfaces can ruin any road trip or trip. With results ranging from a bumpy ride and damaged suspension components to a full-blown accident, potholes are a major headache for motorists, cyclists, and local governments alike. Fortunately, both Honda and Mercedes-Benz are trying to address the problem in two different ways.
Honda recently partnered with DriveOhio, the Ohio Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) smart mobility center, on a pilot project it hopes can help speed up road repairs by harnessing the power of real-time vehicle-generated data that can detect and report road deficiencies.
The project, which also partnered with the University of Cincinnati, was launched to evaluate the feasibility of an automated road condition management and reporting system, using Honda test vehicles equipped with advanced vision and LiDAR sensors.
These vehicles then monitored approximately 3,000 miles of roads in central and southeastern Ohio, scanning the road surface for worn or obstructed traffic signs, damaged guardrails and barriers, insufficient road markings, and pothole development, including size and location.
One of the technology partners was i-Probe Inc., which currently provides sensor technology to OEMs and vehicle manufacturers. Daisuke Oshima, the company’s president and CEO, explained that while sensors on production vehicles are primarily designed for driving and safety, their ability to “continuously collect data during daily driving creates unique value at scale.”
During the pilot program, the massive amount of data was processed using Edge AI models, streamed to a Honda cloud platform for analysis, and integrated into the Parsons iNET Asset Guardian system, which could then optimize workflows to “improve efficiency across all field maintenance operations.”
According to Honda and DriveOhio, results showed that the technology demonstrated a 99% accuracy rate for damaged or obstructed signs, 93% accuracy for damaged guardrails, and an average 89% accuracy for potholes.
What’s more, the project demonstrated that by leveraging existing sensor technology and sharing data with local governing bodies, automated road condition detection has the potential to save the Ohio Department of Transportation more than $4.5 million annually through reduced reliance on manual inspection time, streamlined maintenance schedules, and the prevention of costly deferred repairs through proactive inspection.
These savings could then be reinvested to fix problems in an agile and efficient manner, which is great news for pothole haters everywhere.
Mercedes-Benz takes a more proactive approach
The German brand recently gave its range-topping S-Class arguably one of the most extensive mid-life updates to date, topping the luxury limousine with new styling and technology features, an example of which aims to banish the pain of potholes.
All new S-Class models will come equipped with ‘Airmatic’ air suspension, as well as an optional E-Active body control system. When the two are combined, the vehicle constantly sends information about the road surface to the Mercedes Intelligent Cloud.
It can differentiate between speed bumps or shorter, more pronounced potholes. Once detected, it sends this information to other Mercedes-Benz vehicles using Car-to-X technology, so that the suspension can automatically adjust to reduce the impact of a bump or pothole the next time the vehicle travels the road.
Of course, it’s not the permanent solution Honda was looking for, but it certainly results in a smoother, more comfortable ride for anyone who can afford to commute in the S-Class on a daily basis.
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