New AI tech detects road hazards before you encounter them, here’s how it works

Honda Research Institute USA recently ran a pilot scheme for a road condition monitoring system. The idea was to use GPS location details and data from sensors, such as cameras, to gather road condition information and share it anonymously with authorities responsible for road maintenance.

Another addition to the concept was developed by Nexteer Automotive, working with Tactile Mobility. For the same innovation, they won a CES Innovation Award in 2023 for their road detection software. The software collects real-time road friction data via virtual sensors and uses AI to assign it to various road condition categories, such as dry, icy, or wet.

The data collected can be shared with other vehicles on the road, alerting them to conditions ahead.

The ZF system, however, differs from all these approaches as it continuously configures the chassis to “improve safety and comfort” by predicting road and surface conditions and instantly adapting the car’s behavior.

The thinking is done by ZF’s Cubix chassis software, which controls active noise reduction. The data is collected by the car’s existing sensors, and from that, the system adjusts damping, torque distribution to the wheels, and chassis settings to suit the surface conditions. The software also includes a function called Driver Behaviour Recognition, which profiles the driver and their use of controls to predict driving style and set appropriate comfort preferences.

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ZF’s system will be available in three configurations, adaptable to different vehicle sizes. The standard version relies on existing data running through the car’s onboard network. The advanced version adds a camera-based detection system, and the premium version includes a LiDAR scanning system that can even create a 3D profile of the road 25 meters ahead.

Further development of these new models can help cars get smarter and recognise the presence of potholes and impediments early on. Beyond that these systems can feed into a database that can aid maintenance workers on how to mend the road.