Honda has recently tested an AI system that enables your car to automatically report potholes and damaged signage.

      The pilot program in Ohio employed sensors to identify road hazards and provide real-time data to relevant authorities.

      If you've navigated the same roads for a while, you likely have a mental map of where the signs are worn out or where a pothole is frequently patched but remains problematic. While these road issues are easy to notice while driving, getting them scheduled for maintenance can take significantly longer. To tackle this challenge, Honda has partnered with DriveOhio to launch a new AI-driven road safety initiative aimed at proactively detecting and reporting issues using data collected from vehicles in regular traffic.

      In its official announcement, Honda highlighted the completion of what it refers to as a national-first test in Ohio, utilizing advanced vision and LiDAR sensors to identify problems such as potholes, deteriorating pavement, damaged guardrails, and missing or blocked road signs. During the trial, a small fleet of Honda vehicles traveled approximately 3,000 miles across various urban and rural routes under diverse weather conditions and at different times of day, accurately detecting these issues.

      Results indicated that the Proactive Roadway Maintenance System excelled in recognizing signage and guardrail concerns, achieving accuracies of 99 percent and 93 percent, respectively. It also detected potholes and rough road surfaces with close to 90 percent accuracy.

      Real-time data sharing could expedite road maintenance

      The system transmitted the gathered data to the Ohio Department of Transportation, enabling it to be reviewed and transformed into maintenance tasks without the delay of manual inspections or public reports. Honda suggests that this methodology could greatly decrease the time for identifying and addressing road problems, while also reducing costs related to conventional inspection techniques.

      Although the project was limited in scope, Honda envisions expanding the system's reach by utilizing anonymized data from connected vehicles currently on the road. If implemented more broadly, Honda estimates that the system could save the Ohio Department of Transportation over $4.5 million annually by minimizing the necessity for manual inspections.

      Pranob is a veteran tech journalist with over eight years of experience in reporting on consumer technology. His work has been…

      This innovative battery technology will allow rapid charging of your electric vehicle without compromising battery longevity.

      Chinese EV battery manufacturer CATL asserts it has successfully developed a solution for ultra-fast charging that does not harm long-term battery health. If verified, this advancement could resolve one of the major challenges facing electric vehicles. In a video released in late January, the company introduced its new 5C lithium-ion battery, engineered to support ultra-fast charging without negatively impacting long-term battery performance. According to Inside EVs, CATL claims that the 5C battery can maintain 80% of its initial capacity after 1,400 charge cycles at a temperature of 140°F (60°C), equating to roughly 522,000 miles of usage.

      You might soon find CarPlay Ultra outside of a $200,000 Aston Martin.

      CarPlay Ultra has had a challenging start, largely limited to high-end vehicles like those from Aston Martin, which come with a hefty price tag exceeding $200,000. This seems an unusual circumstance for a company of Apple’s magnitude to confine a new platform to such an exclusive market. However, according to a Bloomberg report, this may change by the end of the year, with CarPlay Ultra expected to be included in at least one significant new model from Hyundai or Kia in the latter half of 2023, potentially making the system accessible to many more drivers than its current limited availability allows.

      Slate aims to develop more than just an affordable truck.

      The electric vehicle startup Slate Auto has made headlines with its extremely affordable electric pickup, but it has no plans to stop there. In a recent conversation with InsideEVs, CEO Chris Barman stated that while the first model—a basic EV truck aimed to cost in the “mid-$20,000” range—still awaits a final price and manufacturing ramp-up, Slate aims to create more electric vehicles beyond its inaugural offering. The first Slate truck is a compact, rear-motor, two-door electric pickup available with an optional extended-range battery. It has quickly become one of the anticipated EVs, with production expected to begin toward the end of 2026 at a facility in the Midwest. Slate reported over 150,000 refundable reservations last year, roughly aligning with the company’s projected maximum annual production once it peaks in 2027.