It’s no secret that Australian roads are plagued by potholes, a persistent road hazard that continues to frustrate local drivers.
However, a new study, led by Monash University engineers, found that smartphones could be a cost-effective tool in combating road blemishes that pose a safety risk to all road users.
Researchers – led by Dr Yihai Fang from the Smart Pavements Research Collaboration (SPARC) – attached 25 smartphones to the exterior of test vehicles, which were then driven by 22 volunteers who travelled across Melbourne over two months, collecting data in the process.
While the team didn’t specify what models and routes were used during testing, a spokesperson said, “the team used different types of cars and phone positions to mimic real-world conditions”.
The smartphone cameras were then used to capture bumps and knocks, and provide a live map of the city’s road conditions, which were then uploaded to an app.
In a media statement, Dr Yihai Fang said, “The more data we get from different vehicles, phones and road conditions, the stronger the system becomes.”
“Our research shows that smartphones, supported by deep learning models, can reliably capture road roughness data across different vehicles and mounting positions.
“This could one day help create a city-wide road health map powered by everyday drivers,” the research lead added.
Generally speaking, road authorities deploy a range of high-tech devices and software to survey road conditions. According to a spokesperson for global road toll operator Transurban, its maintenance trucks are equipped with on-board AI cameras that scan its roads for any signs of blemishes.
“In addition to our diligent maintenance crews, which monitor for potential road hazards, Transurban employs advanced AI technologies to oversee road conditions," they told Drive.
“We integrated AI-enabled dashcams that continuously assess road pavements, identifying the wear and tear much earlier than the human eye can.
“This proactive approach ensures that issues like potholes are addressed before they become a hazard," a Transurban spokesperson explained.
While privately-owned roads like the Melbourne CityLink – the most profitable stretch of road in the world – are constantly maintained and inspected by Transurban, state-controlled roads are typically one of the biggest sources of driver irritation.
As previously reported by Drive, frustrated locals have begun spray-painting road warnings to warn other motorists of potholes ahead, in lieu of government action.
Asked if the Monash smartphone study would be something it would look into as a future road surveying tool, a Department of Transport Victoria spokesperson said the road authority is always looking into all possibilities.
“We're always trialling new technologies and techniques when it comes to the maintenance, rebuilding and repairing of Victoria's roads," a Department of Transport spokesperson told Drive.
Who's liable for pothole damage?
Identifying who's legally and financially responsible for pothole damage can be a grey area, given that pothole liability is dependent on who owns the stretch of road and whether they were aware of the pothole.
If you want to know the full story, visit Drive's previous coverage here. But in a nutshell, in order to be financially compensated for pothole damage, drivers need to prove that the road authority was aware of the road hazard and failed to act.
Even then, there is numerous state and territory legislation that protects authorities from pothole liability on state-controlled roads.
Ethan Cardinal graduated with a Journalism degree in 2020 from La Trobe University and has been working in the fashion industry as a freelance writer prior to joining Drive in 2023. Ethan greatly enjoys investigating and reporting on the cross sections between automotive, lifestyle and culture. Ethan relishes the opportunity to explore how deep cars are intertwined within different industries and how they could affect both casual readers and car enthusiasts.
