Lakeland pioneers AI sensor technology to fix crumbling roadways

Lakeland adopts AI tech to monitor road pavement

The city of Lakeland recently signed a four-year contract with Roadways Management Technologies at $60,000 a year for AI Sensor Roadway Intelligence. FOX 13's Carla Bayron reports. 

LAKELAND, Fla. - The city of Lakeland will soon use artificial intelligence technology to tackle the pothole problem on our roadways. 

What we know:

The city of Lakeland recently signed a four-year contract with Roadways Management Technologies at 60-thousand dollars a year for AI Sensor Roadway Intelligence.

Fifteen city vehicles will be installed with sensors and cameras that will take pictures every 75 feet to evaluate road conditions every single day.

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"Whether it's evaluating the vibrations that are being registered through our cars on our roads, this is just a way of going ahead and streamlining the process per se," said city spokesperson, Jamin Smith.

Big picture view:

This way is much more efficient compared to the old-fashioned way crews had to do it before, which was manually driving on and visually checking city streets.

"That process was done every two years and cost the city $120,000," said Smith. "Now this process, what makes this technology better is it's happening in real time."

Courtesy: City of Lakeland

All the information goes to a database where crews can evaluate and analyze it.

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Using this technology calls for less manpower as well and residents can start to see improvements in a matter of weeks.

"The city of Lakeland is pioneering the way we use this technology to make safer roads for all of our citizens," said Smith.

What's next:

This new technology will be ready for use on the first day of March.