The technology will first monitor the vibrations your vehicle is subjected to when you pass over a pothole and then cross reference that with the Global Positioning System data. With this technology, a communication device could be embedded in a stereo or radio system, while location would be determined via GPS. If the motion sensor is triggered as a result of hitting a pothole, the car’s navigation system will record where it was and send the data to a server. This will be combined with motion sensors that will be able to tell when your vehicle enters into a pothole, and when that happens, that particular location will be saved to a database. Google would in return use the data for Google Maps to improve driving directions and potentially warn users of unsafe road conditions.
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A recent Google patent could see cars building a constantly updated database of the nation’s potholes, reports Autoblog. This crowd-sourced navigation app already connects you to other drivers automatically (and anonymously) in the background. Besides giving the driver an unceremonious jolt, potholes can cause paint damage to your vehicle if you’re lucky, and puncture a tire, take a toll on your shocks and suspension, or mess with your steering alignment, if you’re unlucky.
