What has been called the 'world’s first' pothole-fixing robot has just completed its first field test in the UK. Developed by Robotiz3d in collaboration with the University of Liverpool and Hertfordshire County Council (Hertfordshire CC), the robot passed the test with flying colours.
Called the Autonomous Road Repair System (ARRES) Prevent, the revolutionary highway maintenance robot incorporates imaging technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect, characterise, and repair potholes in situ. The robot conducted its first out-of-lab trial on March 6 while working on potholes on the roads of Potters Bar, Hertfordshire.
“The test today is another step in the right direction towards solving the pothole problem this country faces. After another wet winter, we know we’re likely to see an increase in potholes forming as the road surface recovers from water getting into cracks,” said Councillor Reena Ranger, deputy executive member for Highways at Hertfordshire County Council.
“That’s why we’ve worked hard to fix over 40,000 potholes this year. Through the trial of new techniques and using this cutting-edge technology, we could potentially prevent the potholes from forming in the first place. We’re committed to maintaining our road network so that it remains one of the best in the country – we’re excited for the time we can welcome PREVENT officially to our team.”
Fully autonomous pothole repairs
The ARRES Prevent robot utilises AI to identify cracks, potholes, and other road defects. It then automatically fills the cracks to prevent surface water from seeping in, which helps prevent the formation of potholes. This technology has the potential to save time and money while also reducing the inconvenience caused to road users by potholes.
Robotiz3d and Hertfordshire CC believe ARRES can transform how potholes and road surface problems are addressed in Hertfordshire and worldwide. During the trial, ARRES Prevent detected potholes and successfully filled cracks to prevent potholes from forming. The next step is further trials to refine the vehicle before moving on to full production of the ARRES Prevent robot.
Hertfordshire CC and Robotiz3d have also explained that work is now under way on a larger version of the robot capable of fixing a wider range of defects.
Screenshot of the ARRES Prvent robot fixing potholes. Source: Hertfordshire CC.
Save time and money
“We are dedicated to our mission to help build a safe and sustainable road infrastructure through intelligent, and automated maintenance and repair,” explained Sebastiano Fichera, co-founder and technical director from Robotiz3d.
Sebastiano Fichera, co-founder and technical director at Robotiz3d explained that ARRES PREVENT is an innovative solution that uses a combination of ARRES EYE (an advanced AI-powered road survey solution), cutting-edge robotics and unmanned mobility to perform crack sealing tasks autonomously.
He explained that the system is designed to reduce the number of potholes on roads by proactively sealing cracks before they become bigger problems.
“This innovative technology has the potential to transform how we perform road maintenance and enhance the driver experience across Hertfordshire and beyond. It is said a stitch in time saves nine, and that prevention is better than cure – and likewise stopping cracks from growing into potholes could save a lot of future maintenance work,” said technology and decarbonisation minister Anthony Browne MP.