NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Dodging and ducking potholes for drivers in New Providence has become a familiar routine.
From damaged tires to costly repairs, crumbling roads are taking a toll on motorists.
The Ministry of Works and Family Island Affairs says artificial intelligence could help change that.
They announced the use of Vaisala Road AI, a system that turns an ordinary smartphone into a high-tech road inspector. 26-year-old Assistant Engineer Kenrick Stubbs is helping lead the project.
Kenrick Stubbs – Assistant Engineer, MOWFIA
“[It] makes inspections easier by allowing you to use your smart phone. So we have these phones that are kind of hijacked by the software, you set them up on your dashboard or hook them up to your windshield…you press record and then you just drive.”
However, the system does more than spot potholes, it scores road conditions on a scale of zero to 100%, giving engineers data to help prioritize repairs.
Early results show some inner-city streets are among the most in need of attention.
Despite this, the technology is already facing skepticism from some members of the public, who question why artificial intelligence is needed to find potholes that are already plain to see.
In response, Works Minister Clay Sweeting says, “I’ve seen the comments and I’ve seen people say you know your eyes could find a pothole right, but at the same token, I encourage the public to be partners because if you put a pothole on social media and you don’t advise the Ministry on where the pothole is located, you know, then you can’t deal with it.”
“You will see more technology integration, you’ll see a new system of reporting potholes, you’ll see a new system of how we deal with potholes, you’ll see a new system of drainage reporting and a few methods of patching potholes,” he said.
For now the government is betting on artificial intelligence to help solve a very real problem.
However, for the thousands of drivers, success won’t be measured by how many potholes a computer can find, it’ll be measured by how many disappear.
