Potholes are a persistent issue for cities, leading to costly repairs and posing risks to businesses like Lime, which recently flagged potholes as a business risk in its IPO filing. Fleet management company Samsara aims to address this problem with its new AI-powered system, 'Ground Intelligence.'
AI and Advanced Sensors
As vehicles become equipped with advanced sensors, they offer a new method for detecting potholes. Last month, Waymo and Waze launched a pilot program to share pothole data with local governments. Samsara, however, claims to go one step further with its technology. The San Francisco-based company has developed a model trained using data from cameras mounted inside millions of trucks over the past decade. This model can detect various types of potholes and assess their deterioration rate.
Wider Reach and Data Collection
Samsara's trucks outnumber Waymo's 3,000-vehicle fleet, allowing more extensive data collection and repeat observations of potholes over time. This could provide cities with valuable insights into infrastructure issues. Samsara announced it has multiple city contracts, with Chicago joining as a new customer. The Ground Intelligence system could expand to identify other urban issues like graffiti, broken guardrails, and low-hanging power lines.
Proactive Solutions
Ground Intelligence functions through a dashboard that maps developing potholes and other potential problems. Cities can access anonymized footage from vehicle cameras to confirm citizen reports on infrastructure issues. Johan Land, Samsara’s senior vice president of product, emphasized the system's proactive nature, stating, "That's the magic here; it takes a process that was reactive and makes it proactive."
Expanding Capabilities
Samsara is exploring additional uses for its network. It recently launched 'Waste Intelligence' to help waste management companies verify trash and recycling pickups and introduced a 'ridership management' tool for bus drivers. These innovations aim to enhance municipal operations through real-time data and intelligent insights.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/12/potholes-cost-cities-millions-samsara-using-ai-trucks-fix/
