Jaguar Land Rover has announced that it is researching a new connected car technology that allows vehicles to identify the location and severity of potholes, broken drains and manhole covers.

The technology will help to share the collected data in real-time via the cloud with other vehicles and road authorities to help prioritise repairs, said a statement from the company.

On receiving a warning from another vehicle about severe potholes or broken manholes ahead, drivers would be able to slow down and avoid the danger, or the car could adjust suspension settings to reduce the impact and smooth out the ride, which would help reduce potential punctures, wheel and vehicle damage, as well as road accidents, it added.

The next stage of the project at Jaguar Land Rover’s Advanced Research Centre is to install new road surface sensing technology in the Range Rover Evoque research vehicle, including an advanced forward-facing stereo digital camera, said the statement.

The project will also investigate whether Jaguar Land Rover’s experimental camera could take an image of the pothole or damaged manhole and share this with road authorities, together with a GPS location, it said.

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

“By monitoring the motion of the vehicle and changes in the height of the suspension, the car is able to continuously adjust its suspension characteristics, giving passengers a more comfortable ride over uneven and damaged road surfaces,” he added.
Source: TradeArabia