How groundbreaking AI technology will help fix potholes in Staffordshire
Highways inspectors will soon have another tool to help them maintain road systems, all with the help of AI.
A new groundbreaking system will see Staffordshire Highways Inspectors make their way around the county using a smartphone app to record road conditions.
Video recordings of road conditions will be processed via AI software, which will provide the council with a full picture of the quality of each route.
The new Vaisala RoadAI will identify and categorise potholes and various other road surface defects, as well as issues with standing water, road markings and traffic signs.
Staffordshire County Council cabinet member for Highways, David Williams, said: "We are always looking to invest in new technology to help improve the condition of our roads, and this latest bit of tech will allow us to survey the roads more efficiently.
"Once in use, it will give us a full picture of the condition of roads across the county, allowing us to plan our maintenance programmes for effectively."
Traditionally, road condition surveys are mostly performed manually. The new system will let inspectors survey roads while they are out in the county, making maintenance planning more precise.
Councillor David Williams said: "Even so, we do still rely on the public to report defects where they can see them using our ReportIt function.
"This year, we have invested nearly £20 million into fixing defects on Staffordshire's roads, and we want to make sure we can make this investment work as hard as possible."
The new tech will mean that as well as surveying each road once a year, inspectors will also get regular updates and more information on changed and emerging problems.
Inspectors are currently testing the new system, which will be rolled out across the county in the coming weeks.
