JLR develops potholes detection technology

Whitley, UK – Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is researching a new ‘connected car’ technology that will allow drivers to avpid the hazards caused by potholes and other sources of tire, wheel and vehicle damage on the road.

The pioneering ‘Pothole Alert’ research could help save motorists billions of pounds in punctures, vehicle damage and road accidents every year, according to a 10 June announcement from JLR.

“Our MagneRide equipped Range Rover Evoque and Discovery Sport vehicles feature sophisticated sensors that allow the vehicle to profile the road surface under the wheels and identify potholes, raised manholes and broken drain covers,” said Mike Bell, global connected car director at JLR.

The vehicle is able to share the data in real-time via the cloud with other vehicles and with road authorities, the company added. Drivers, it said, would then be able to slow down to avoid the danger – or the car could adjust its suspension settings to reduce the impact and smooth the ride.

“By monitoring the motion of the vehicle and changes in the height of the suspension, the car is able to continuously adjust the vehicle’s suspension characteristics, giving passengers a more comfortable ride over uneven and damaged road surfaces,” explained Bell.

“While this gives our customers a more comfortable ride, we think there is a huge opportunity to turn the information from these vehicle sensors into ‘big data’ and share it for the benefit of other road users,” he added. “This could help prevent billions of pounds of vehicle damage and make road repairs more effective.”

JLR’s research team will also be working with Coventry City Council to understand how road profile information could be shared with road authorities, and exactly what data would be most useful for their roads maintenance teams to identify and prioritise repairs.