An AI-powered autonomous robot designed to tackle the growing problem of potholes has successfully passed its first on-the-road test outside a laboratory environment.
The Autonomous Road Repair System (ARRES), officially known as ARRES Prevent, took to the streets of Potters Bar in Hertfordshire.
Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) shared footage of the vehicle identifying and filling in cracks in the road surface before potholes have a chance to form.
Further trials will now take place to refine the robot before it goes into production, along with work on a larger model that is able to fix a wider range of faults in the road.
The battery-powered, van-sized vehicle can be deployed completely autonomously or directed by an operator using remote control.
It uses state-of-the-art imaging technology known as ARRES Eye to examine the surface of the road beneath it, and AI algorithms assess whether repairs are needed.
It is able to work during the day or night without being affected by lighting conditions, potentially allowing it to work at less busy times.
AI identifies faults before they can turn into potholes
When ARRES Prevent finds a crack that needs to be sealed, it can apply tar or other repair materials through a robotic arm.
The system can also automatically record details of the location and repairs carried out for quality control and further planning purposes.
ARRES Prevent was developed by tech company Robotiz3d, along with researchers from the University of Liverpool and highway engineers from HCC.
Potholes are a huge problem on the UK’s highway network, and HCC said that it had fixed more than 40,000 this year alone.
Monitoring and fixing them can be a huge drain on resources, and pre-emptive action that deals with faults before they develop into full potholes could be much more effective than retroactive repairs.
Councillor Reena Ranger, the Deputy Executive Member for Highways at HCC, called the successful test a “step in the right direction towards solving the pothole problem this country faces.”
Anthony Browne, the Minister for Technology and Decarbonisation, said that the technology had the potential to transform how road maintenance is carried out far beyond the county of Hertfordshire.
The Government helped fund the development of ARRES Prevent with more than £30,000 in Transport Research and Innovation Grants.
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