What If the Sensors on Your Car Were Inspecting Potholes for the Government? Honda Found Out

Honda's Car Sensors Help Identify Road Hazards, Could Save Millions in Maintenance Costs.

A partnership between Honda and the Ohio Department of Transportation has led to a groundbreaking two-year study on using vehicle-generated data to identify roads in need of repair. The pilot program, which also involved other universities and companies, aimed to determine if cameras and Lidar sensors embedded in Hondas could effectively report potholes, deficient lane markings, and signage.

The Ohio DOT partnered with Honda to test the Proactive Roadway Maintenance System, a prototype designed to detect problems such as poor road quality, damaged guardrails, and insufficient signage. With an extensive testing regimen of over 3,000 miles, the program was able to accurately identify road hazards at impressive rates: 99% for detecting hidden signs, 93% for damaged guardrails, and 89% for potholes.

Honda CEO Daisuke Oshima says that by leveraging continuous data collection from production vehicles, he believes that vehicle sensor data can complement existing inspection programs to support proactive asset management. According to Honda, the system could save Ohio's DOT $4.5 million in maintenance costs due to more efficient repair scheduling and better planning for preventative maintenance.

While the initial results are promising, Honda plans to expand on this program by exploring ways to enable its drivers to anonymously share data with the correct agency and identify areas that may require future repairs.

this is so cool! i mean, can you imagine having a car sensor system that can detect road hazards like a pro? it's like something out of a sci-fi movie. i'm low-key excited to see this tech rolled out to more cars and how it could make our roads safer and less prone to potholes. the idea of drivers being able to anonymously share data with the right agencies is genius – it's like crowdsourcing for road repairs!

I think it's so cool how tech is helping us make our roads safer! Those sensors in Hondas are like superheroes for the road, detecting all sorts of hazards and helping fix them before they become big problems. I'd love to see this tech rolled out nationwide - can you imagine not having to deal with potholes on your daily commute? The fact that it's saving Ohio's DOT $4.5 million is just mind-blowing! It's also interesting that Honda wants to let drivers share data anonymously, so we can all help contribute to making our roads better.

omg can you imagine driving on the road without any potholes?? it's crazy how these sensors are helping reduce maintenance costs for the Ohio DOT by like $4.5 million!!! i wonder if this technology will be available to all cars soon? would be so cool if your own car could send data to the authorities and help identify road issues before they become big problems... it's a win-win! what do you think about this tech, would you use it in your car??

I'm so over this idea of relying on car sensors to fix roads. Like, what's next? Using smartphones to fix potholes? It's not exactly rocket science, folks. We've been driving for years without these fancy cameras and Lidar sensors, and we're still managing just fine. I mean, sure, it's nice that Honda is trying to help out, but do we really need our cars to be data-collecting machines? And what about the whole "anonymous sharing of data" thing? Sounds like a recipe for more bureaucratic red tape than actual progress. Let's not forget, humans are way better at fixing potholes than any computer program .

I'm thinking, if car sensors can detect road hazards so accurately, why aren't they being used more widely already? And what's going on with all these potholes we're seeing everywhere? Can't the government just invest in better roads like it did back in the day? Also, I'm curious, how much does this technology cost to implement and maintain? Is it feasible for smaller cities or towns to use something like this?

This is so cool! I mean, can you think of a better way to save lives and money? Those sensors are like superheroes for our roads! The fact that they can detect potholes, damaged guardrails, and signs with such high accuracy is just mind-blowing. And the best part is, it's not just about fixing what's broken right now, but also planning ahead so we don't have accidents because of neglected road conditions. I'm all for this technology spreading to other places too!

omg can u imagine not having 2 hit potholes in ur car anymore haha it's like magic! but seriously, i think this is such a great idea! we should all be able to help out our gov and keep our roads safe. the fact that honda is already making money from this by saving maintenance costs is just icing on the cake lol. also, i'd love 2 see more cars get involved in this program so it's not just hondas contributing. maybe they can even make it easy 4 drivers 2 report issues anonymously or thru a app? that would be so cool!

I think it's a huge win for infrastructure development and safety. The idea of sensors in cars helping identify road hazards is so cool! It makes sense that Honda has come up with this tech - they're already experts at collecting data from vehicles, after all.

The fact that they can save millions in maintenance costs is pretty mind-blowing too. I mean, think about it: every pothole or damaged guardrail could be fixed sooner rather than later. Less money spent on repairs = more funds for other important projects?

It's also awesome to see Honda working with the Ohio DOT and universities to make this happen. Collaboration is key in solving complex problems like infrastructure maintenance.

I'm curious to see where they take this tech next - maybe some kind of app that lets drivers report issues anonymously?

omg, dis is amazin news!!! honda's car sensors r literally changin da game 4 road maintenence! i mean, think bout it - instead of havin da gov or DOT snoopin around, our own cars can tell dem where da problems r the stats r insane too - 99% accurate 4 hidden signs? that's lowkey genius i dunno bout u, but i'm all 4 dis kinda tech! it'd be so sick if we cud just anonymously share da data & help prevent future accidents

just think about it, all those miles driven every day, collecting data like nobody's business. it's crazy how tech can help us do our part in keeping roads safer. i mean, $4.5 million is a big chunk of change, but if it means less wear and tear on the roads, that's a win in my book

I'm loving this tech advancement ! The fact that these car sensors can help spot road hazards and save millions in maintenance costs is a total game-changer. I mean, who wouldn't want to help improve the roads they drive on? It's genius how Honda and the Ohio DOT partnered up to make it happen. And 99% accurate for detecting hidden signs? That's insane! I'm also stoked that Honda wants to take this a step further by letting drivers anonymously share data. It's all about collaboration, right? Companies, governments, and citizens working together for the greater good . Can't wait to see where this tech takes us next!

[Image of a car with sensors beeping]

Roads need love too !

[Animated GIF of a pothole being filled]

Save money, save lives

[Image of Daisuke Oshima with a satisfied expression]

Proactive road maintenance is the way forward

oh man I'm literally so stoked about this news!!! think about it, roads getting all potholey and stuff is a huge deal, especially in places like ohio where they gotta deal with winters and summer heat and everything and now honda's sensors can basically just drive around and find out which roads need some TLC it's like, totally genius! i mean, the numbers are insane too - 99% accurate for hidden signs? that's like, wow 93% for damaged guardrails? that's like, whoa and $4.5 million in savings? that's like, a whole lotta cash i'm just so excited to see where honda takes this tech next - anonymous data sharing? that sounds like a game changer can you imagine if every car could just send a little bit of info back to the people who need it most? it's like, totally going to save lives and stuff

I'm loving this innovation from Honda! They're really thinking outside the box (or in this case, the car) when it comes to using data to keep our roads safe and well-maintained. I mean, who needs human inspectors on every stretch of road when a clever camera and some smart sensors can do the job? Plus, it's not like we're just talking about saving a few dollars - they estimate it could save Ohio $4.5 million! That's like, a whole lotta cash for infrastructure repairs .

Now, I know what you're thinking... "But what about data privacy?" And honestly, I think Honda is on the right track with this anonymous sharing thing. It's not like drivers are going to start selling their driving habits on eBay or anything . It's all about making our roads better and safer for everyone. So, here's to Honda for pushing the boundaries of innovation!

I'm low-key worried about this whole thing . I mean, I get it, tech is cool and all, but what if these sensors start getting hacked? Like, can you imagine someone exploiting a vulnerability in the system to cause chaos on our roads? It's like, we're just trading one risk for another, you know?

And have you thought about the data ownership thing? Who gets to control all this info that's being shared by these cars? Is it Honda? The state? Some private company? I don't want some faceless corporation making decisions about what repairs need to be done on my behalf. That just feels like a recipe for disaster .

I'm not saying the idea isn't cool or anything, but we gotta think this through and make sure we're not creating a whole new set of problems.

just thinkin about it, if hondas can spot road hazards like 99% accuracy, that's huge for ohio's DOT! can u imagine how much cash they'd save with that kinda info? 4.5 million in savings alone is insane . but the more i read, it seems honda's not just lookin at profits, they wanna make roads safer too, by gettin data from drivers & sendin it to the right agency. that's a pretty cool move

this is a great example of how tech can actually help improve infrastructure, it makes so much sense that cars could be used as sensors for roads, just think about all those miles people drive every year, they're basically driving around to collect data on road conditions. the numbers are pretty impressive too, i mean 99% accurate detection of hidden signs is huge. but what really gets me excited is the potential for this tech to save millions in maintenance costs, that's a game changer for any state or city with aging infrastructure.

i also love how honda is thinking about how to make this system more user-friendly, like allowing drivers to share data anonymously, that's just good design. and i think it's cool that they're partnering with universities and other companies to help develop this tech, collaboration can lead to some amazing innovations.