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.
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.