Entrusting road maintenance to robots is a great idea

Every year, starting in spring, when the snow melts, we see the same picture on the roads - deep and not very deep holes and potholes. And, if you’re lucky, repairs begin in some areas, which often slow down traffic and, as we know, can take a long time. Here, of course, you need to be patient, but in any case this is better than constantly overcoming obstacles on a bad road that has not seen road workers for a long time.


In addition to the inconvenience for the driver, all these restoration measures also require a lot of financial investment. As surprising as it may sound, similar problems with the road surface exist everywhere, sometimes more, sometimes less, but they exist.


For example, in the UK, according to some estimates, the annual cost of combating potholes is about 2,2 billion euros, which is equivalent to 220 billion rubles. That's why smart local authorities became interested in the development of Liverpool tech startup Robotiz3d and launched trials of the Prevent autonomous vehicle in Hertfordshire.

The company was founded in 2020 from the School of Engineering at the University of Liverpool. It is developing a robotic autonomous road maintenance system (ARRES) based on AI. Last year, Robotiz3d presented its “firstborn” – ARRES Eye. This product is not intended for autonomous operation, but implies installation on city public transport or municipal special equipment. During this passive movement, the system identifies visible problems in the road surface, determines their level of complexity and priority, and then sends the data to a common database.

Now the startup has stepped further and released a fully autonomous vehicle that not only detects, but also independently eliminates problems with the road. The installation is called ARRES Prevent and is a small, very strange-looking, similar to a distant relative of the Tesla Cybertruck, an electric van.


It is equipped with artificial intelligence technology that allows it to detect and then repair small cracks on roads. This will minimize the risk of large holes appearing in the future, which are formed under the influence of rain and frost. "Robocar" can also operate in remote control mode, day and night. All information about the work done is stored in a single database, and its effectiveness can be tracked in real time.

The use of this innovative technology will not only change the way roads are maintained, but also improve quality. In addition, Robotiz3d estimates that the reduction in annual costs in this area, provided that ARRES Prevent is used, can reach 90%. Prevention, as we know, is better than fighting an advanced case. Again, the robot will not have any temptation to save on materials.

Also, the speed of work will increase by 70%; after all, ARRES Prevent is able to work around the clock, without breaks for lunch and rest. On the issue of reducing the level of harmful emissions into the atmosphere, everything is clear here - electrical equipment.


Although the project is at an early stage, it has already demonstrated some success. In addition, during testing before the launch of mass production, the system will most likely be further improved. In the future, as Robotiz3d promises, they plan to release the third generation of “robotics”. This will be a larger car called ARRES Ultra. He will be able to independently carry out full repairs of large, deep and even problem areas completely overgrown with grass, including preparation for repairs and final sealing of the roadway patch.