Forget about potholes. Ford is developing technology that warns you of their presence

Ford has begun researching virtual maps that warn of the presence of potholes on the road. The average cost of repair for a pothole is estimated at 508 euros; considering we are experiencing one of the coldest winters in history, the chance of encountering one is very real. In the United Kingdom, local authorities receive claims for damage caused by uneven road surfaces every 17 minutes.

The virtual map of Ford has been presented today. This technology uses the method crowdsourcing (real-time data transmission to the cloud) to display on the vehicles’ screens the location of potholes, their depth and the option of taking alternative routes. This system is made possible by the use of cameras and a modem fitted in the car.

In Europe, poor road conditions cause more than 33% of accidents “The virtual map could flag a new pothole the very minute it appears and could almost immediately warn other drivers of what lies ahead on the road,” says Uwe Hoffman, research engineer for Advanced Chassis Control Technologies at Ford Europe. “Our cars already incorporate sensors that detect potholes, and now we want to take this technology to the next level”.

Some Ford models such as the Galaxy, the Mondeo and the S-MAX already incorporate on-board sensors that enable Continuous Damping Control, which detects potholes using sensors and adjusts the suspension to help reduce potential damage.

Across Europe, poor road conditions contribute to more than a third of accidents each year. In 2011, a total of 20 million potholes were recorded in Europe, but only half were repaired, at an estimated cost of more than 1.2 trillion euros.

Ford has already begun testing the technology to avoid uneven road surfaces in its new models. The tests will take place at the Lommel circuit (Belgium), a track of almost two kilometres in length that recreates some of the worst potholes in the world.