Surrey is set to use AI for pothole detection, aiming to speed up repairs and improve road conditions for everyone in the county
Surrey: Big changes are coming to the roads here. The county is ditching manual inspections for potholes. Instead, they’re using video and AI technology. This is a game changer!
They’ve got a hefty £300 million fund to spruce up the roads and pavements by 2028. That’s a lot of cash aimed at making our drives smoother.
Last year, pothole compensation claims skyrocketed. The RAC reported a jump from 734 claims in 2022 to over 3,400 in 2023. That’s a staggering increase!
Clearly, potholes have been a real headache for drivers in Surrey. But with AI, finding and fixing these pesky potholes should be quicker.
Surrey Highways will equip their vehicles with special cameras. These cameras will spot potholes and snap photos. Then, the system will automatically log them for repairs.
This means no more inspectors getting out of their cars to check for potholes. It’s safer and way more efficient.
Matt Furniss, the council’s Cabinet Member for Highways, is excited. He says this tech will help keep our roads in top shape. They’re working hard to improve the busiest roads in the country.
Over the next five years, they plan to invest nearly £300 million in road repairs. That’s a serious commitment to better roads!
They’re also looking to use AI for other issues, like missing signs and overgrown foliage. For now, they’re focused on fixing potholes.
From April to December 2024, they’ve already resurfaced 100 miles of roads and 30 miles of pavements. That’s impressive progress!
