In an innovative leap towards modernising infrastructure maintenance, the Volgograd Region recently undertook a successful trial employing a hardware-software setup featuring neural networks to assess road conditions.
Georgy Filimonov, the acting governor of the region, reported that the artificial intelligence system effectively identified various defects and shortcomings in the area’s roadways. The technology pinpointed specific locations with issues such as cracks in the road surface, problems with road markings, and even misalignments of road signs.
Once the neural network had noted these issues, the relevant data was promptly communicated to specialists for rectification. The test apparatus was installed in a road supervision engineer’s vehicle and, following the successful outcome, regional authorities plan to deploy this system widely to evaluate the state of all roads within the area.
This technological trial coincides with news of increasing toll rates on certain roads, averaging a rise of 8%, with some sections experiencing hikes between 15-25%. Autodor, the company responsible for these roads, attributed the annual rate increases to inflation.
[Photo: Still from a video on Rutube]