Bengaluru engineer builds AI tool to spot potholes and fix responsibility

Bengaluru-based engineer Gaurav Sen has built an AI-powered system that detects potholes using a dashcam and accelerometer fitted in a car, and then identifies the contractor responsible for fixing them. The system processes collected footage with AI vision models and cross-references it with government tender data to locate the contractor and officer accountable for each stretch of road.

Times Now reports that Sen demonstrated the tool in an Instagram video made with ChatGPT India. The system can process 2,900 government contracts and produce an organised record within four seconds, including photographs, location, tender details and the responsible officer's name. Deccan Herald reports that the tool is designed to go beyond simple detection, as Sen processed government tender data to map road stretches to maintenance contracts.

Sen tested the system during his commute and spotted 12 potholes, which he said could be used to file formal complaints with government bodies. The system could be especially useful when a road is under warranty, allowing repairs by the contractor at no extra cost to the state.