Potholes have become one of the most persistent problems on Britain’s roads, creating an ongoing headache for drivers, fleet operators and local authorities.
But could artificial intelligence help councils identify damaged roads earlier and move towards a more preventative approach to maintenance?
It’s an idea that’s been floated by Citroën and it could be something that comes to pass in the next few years…
As part of its new Better Roads Manifesto, the manufacturer is urging local authorities to make greater use of AI-powered road inspections to identify potholes and other defects more quickly, prioritise repairs and ultimately improve the condition of Britain’s local road network.
How Could AI Help Tackle Potholes?
One of the biggest challenges with road maintenance is identifying problems early enough to prevent them becoming significantly worse.
AI-powered road monitoring platforms allow road defects to be captured using smartphones while vehicles are travelling, with that information then being used to create a database of defects. That then helps authorities understand where problems are developing and prioritise maintenance accordingly.
The potential benefit is a shift away from simply reacting to the worst potholes towards identifying weakening road surfaces earlier and carrying out preventative maintenance.
That matters because potholes are often only the visible sign of a much wider deterioration problem.
Once road surfaces begin to weaken, water ingress, freezing temperatures and continued traffic can quickly accelerate the damage. Temporary repairs can resolve an immediate problem, but they do not necessarily prevent the same defect from appearing again.
Better data could allow councils to intervene earlier.
Why Does This Matter For Fleet Road Safety?
For fleets, potholes are far more than an inconvenience.
Poor road surfaces can contribute to tyre, wheel and suspension damage, creating unexpected repair bills, vehicle downtime and disruption to schedules.
There is also the road safety impact.
Research found that 28% of motorists had lost control of their vehicle after swerving to avoid a pothole or encountering debris from damaged road surfaces.
That highlights one of the less obvious consequences of deteriorating roads.
When infrastructure becomes unpredictable, more responsibility is placed on drivers to identify hazards, judge road conditions and react quickly.
A driver suddenly swerving around a pothole may avoid vehicle damage but potentially create an entirely different risk involving surrounding vehicles, cyclists or pedestrians.
Better road conditions therefore reduce more than maintenance bills. They can reduce the number of unexpected decisions drivers are forced to make.
Could AI Finally Improve The Situation?
There will clearly be no overnight solution, with only 49% of authorities reportedly using geolocation when recording potholes, while repair times can vary from hours to several months.
But better and more consistent road-condition data could help local authorities spot deterioration earlier, allocate resources more effectively and make preventative maintenance a greater priority.
For fleet operators, that would undoubtedly be welcome.
Until those improvements filter through, however, fleets still need to manage the roads as they are today.
That means maintaining vehicles properly, reinforcing defensive driving and hazard-awareness techniques and maintaining clear visibility of driver and vehicle risk.
Because technology may increasingly help councils create safer roads, but fleets still have an important role to play in keeping drivers safe while we get there.
Staying safe on the road is all about having visibility over your fleet, which is where Risk Monitor and Fleet Monitor come into play, helping you and your fleet stay safe.
