Potholes are among the biggest challenges that motorists face on the road, which is why several manufacturers are investing in technology that can deal with them. Jaguar Land Rover, Transport Scotland and Transport for West Midlands are three UK companies that are contributing to the initiative.
The organisations are contributing towards a digital platform called the AV Roads Rule system created by Inrix. The system will digitise street signs and road rules so autonomous vehicles can make sense of them. The technology will also provide cars with a link to local road authorities, allowing more information to be provided about potholes and road damage. Therefore, repairs can be carried out more quickly.
Chris Holmes, JLR’s connected and autonomous vehicle research senior manager said “road conditions and layouts can vary drastically over a matter of miles and so it is vital that self-driving is facilitated collaboratively. Local traffic authorities play a significant role in this. Inrix AV Road Rules provides improved information to the car, ensuring our self-driving technology is the most safe, sophisticated and capable to deal with challenging real-world environments as we enter markets across the globe.”
Companies all over the world are contributing to the Inrix system. This includes Boston and Las Vegas being among the largest. The UK is aiming to become a world leader in autonomous vehicle technology, with the government announcing legislation that will allow driverless cars to be on the road by 2021. The announcement was made in 2017 and the technology is being continually tested.
The UK road network has proven to be challenging for developers because of problems like potholes. The AV Roads Rule system is a step in the right direction for driverless cars. Not only will the technology make a motorist feel safer in the car, but road damage will become less frequent.
