Artificial intelligence is being introduced to help identify problems with local roads.
Staffordshire County Council says the technology will allow highways inspectors to use a smartphone app on the windscreen to collect data.
The footage is then processed using AI to identify and categorise defects such as potholes, poor road markings and standing water.
Cabinet member for highways, Cllr 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 our 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 more effectively.
“Even so, we do still rely on the public to report defects where they 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 make this investment work as hard as possible.”
Cllr David Williams, Staffordshire County Council
Inspectors are currently testing the new system, which will be rolled out across the county in the coming weeks.
Perhaps use normal intelligence as well. The councillors responsible for their area might like to show some pride by patrolling and reporting the potholes. Councillors like Greatorex clearly don’t care or cannot be bothered. Is it not their responsibility to care for the area? A FOI would be interesting to find out which councillors have actually reported potholes and how frequently. It would be very revealing I think.
Maybe the AI will also link holes, so repairs are done to those within a similar vicinity at the same time?
Here’s an idea why not get shot of the pen pusher and send a team of 3 men down a road and tell them to fix the whole road of pot holes. Then when they are all fixed move on to the next. Rather than fix one and come back a week later to do another.
No need for AI, just drive down ANY road in Lichfield and they will find numerous potholes that need filling and they have needed filling for a very long time!!!!!
Funny how I report potholes and they take months to fix, abysmal shoddy repairs anyway, they don’t get fixed properly. Just waste our tax payers money, sometimes I wonder whether to ditch my car and get a tractor 🚜 the state of the potholes in Burntwood.