A routine commute in Bengaluru has turned into a practical experiment in using AI for civic problem-solving. Engineer Gaurav Sen has developed a system that can detect potholes, locate them precisely and identify the contractor responsible for maintaining the affected road.
Sen demonstrated the system in a video shared on Instagram in collaboration with ChatGPT India. The video later reached X, where it drew attention for using technology to address a common road problem.
The system combines a dashcam, GPS and an accelerometer installed in Sen’s car to collect data while he drives. AI vision models then analyse the footage and identify potholes of different sizes. The system can also detect potholes that may be difficult to spot from a distance because they can resemble speed breakers.
Sen said he used Codex to build an app that captures the required information and sends it to OpenAI. But identifying potholes was only one part of the solution. He also wanted to determine who was responsible for repairing each damaged stretch of road.
To do this, Sen modified the app to analyse 2,900 government contracts and identify the contractor responsible for a specific road section. This can be especially useful when a road remains under warranty, as contractors may be required to repair defects without additional cost to the government.
The app can create a structured record within 4 seconds. The record includes a photograph, exact location, tender number and the officer responsible for the road.
Sen also tested the system during his commute to work. It detected 12 potholes along his route, providing documented evidence that could potentially support complaints to civic authorities.
The project soon gained attention beyond Bengaluru after the video reached X. Users praised the idea, while some suggested that civic authorities could use similar technology to identify damaged roads and accelerate repairs.
What started as an effort to make one engineer’s daily commute smoother has become an example of how AI could help turn everyday civic problems into documented, actionable complaints.
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