Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) has announced that it is launching a sensor capable of detecting a pothole.
The company is working to improve its vehicles with a system that will help avoid obstacles, including potholes capable of dealing damage to a car. While on the road, the technology will inform drivers of the presence and size of potholes ahead of time, as it will examine data on roads that are being traveled for a certain journey.
Ford’s idea is being tested initially at the company’s research firm centre in Aachen, Germany. The technology is not perfect as it will not always work as well as it can to detect potholes, resulting in some minor accidents that cars already face.
“A virtual pothole map could highlight a new pothole the minute it appears and almost immediately warn other drivers that there is a hazard ahead,” said Uwe Hoffmann, a research engineer at Ford.
Company vehicles already have sensors that detect potholes, but this move will take them to a new level. It is expected that the technology will not work as effectively as it can during certain adverse road conditions, such as snow and rain.
Other companies and institutions have been working on developing similar technology, including sensors being designed by Nottingham Trent University at the moment.
F stock is down 0.2% Friday.
