Jaguar Land Rover unveils pothole detection technology

According to the Whitley-based carmaker, the MagneRide sensing technology enables vehicles to calculate the location and severity of potholes, broken drains and manhole covers. This data could then be shared with other vehicles as a warning, or with road authorities to help prioritise repairs.

“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,” said Dr Mike Bell, global connected car director, Jaguar Land Rover.

“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. This could help prevent billions of pounds of vehicle damage and make road repairs more effective.”

Currently all data is collected directly from the road as a vehicle passes over an anomaly, but JLR is planning tests with its Range Rover Evoque research vehicle using forward-facing stereo digital camera technology that can scan the road ahead and assess potential hazards.