India is piloting an AI road defect detection mechanism for identifying potholes and cracks in the roads with the help of video footage captured using smartphones. The pilot scheme will be carried out for the identification of any issues related to roads built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) and will start from September 1, 2026, on a national level.
The scheme has been designed in collaboration with the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA). The Ministry of Rural Development has accorded initial permission for conducting this trial.
How is AI being used to identify road defects?
This technology relies on video recordings made from smartphones to analyze the condition of the road and locate any visible faults. Rather than relying solely on traditional physical checks, this method can assist authorities in gathering information about road conditions from videos made during field checks.
The government is at present piloting the system in various places, as the states and union territories have identified the Program Implementation Units for pilot implementation in PMGSY roads. Thus, using an AI system to detect potholes becomes a part of the larger scheme to use technology for road condition analysis.
Seven types of road defects can be identified
The AI pothole detection system aims at detecting potholes, cracks, and any other road defects using video recorded by smartphones. The system will allow for an evaluation of the condition of roads by analyzing video data. Thus, the utilization of the above-mentioned road defect detection using AI can assist in making a more structured analysis of visible road defects. It may also provide digital information on road defects, which could be analyzed along with traditional road evaluations.
From smartphone videos to road-condition reports
One of the important elements of the project includes the use of regular phones to shoot videos of roads. The method may prove to be useful for collecting data since video footage will help show the road condition along large sections of rural roads. The technology is a part of the bigger picture of AI road inspection technology that utilizes artificial intelligence for the analysis of visual information in order to monitor infrastructure. The AI-generated information does not replace the field assessment but serves as another source of information regarding road condition.
What could the technology mean for road maintenance?
The use of AI for road maintenance could make it easier for the administration to keep track of visible damage and create a database of the road surface conditions. Identification of potholes and cracks at an early stage could give useful information when the road needs inspection or repair. Use of this technology for PMGSY roads could assist in monitoring the condition of the roads, which have a long network.
From field footage to AI-assisted road assessments
This ongoing test is meant to integrate the use of video captured on smartphones and artificial intelligence in order to monitor infrastructure. This technology may help capture data on potholes, cracks, and other defects in roads; however, field testing would still be required to check road conditions. With the development of the test across the country, its results will be useful in evaluating the efficiency of using this technology in road condition assessment and AI for road maintenance.
