Real-Time Pothole Detection and Driver Alert Mechanism

2026-06-23T08:02:24+00:00

Road safety is a major concern in both urban and rural areas due to poor road conditions and the presence of potholes, which often lead to accidents, vehicle damage, and traffic congestion. To address this issue, this project presents a real-time pothole detection and driver alert mechanism designed to identify potholes before a vehicle passes over them and to alert the driver in advance. The system is developed using a Raspberry Pi microcontroller, integrated with a camera module to measure the depth and size of potholes accurately using OpenCV. A camera module captures road images for validation, while GPS and GSM modules record and transmit the pothole location to a cloud or mobile device. The proposed system dynamically adjusts its sensing range according to the vehicle’s speed—detecting potholes earlier when the vehicle is moving fast to give the driver sufficient reaction time. Once a pothole is detected, the driver is immediately alerted through a buzzer or LED indication, helping prevent sudden impacts. The collected data can also be used by municipal authorities for road maintenance planning. This low-cost, real-time, and scalable system enhances driver safety and contributes to the development of smart transportation infrastructure. It can be implemented in bikes, cars, and other vehicles, making it a practical and socially impactful solution for modern smart cities.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2582.5607.202605

How to cite this article:
Bhorpe V N, Thonge A N, Shruti, Kadam B, Rajankar S O. Real-Time Pothole Detection and Driver Alert Mechanism. J Engr Desg Anal 2026; 9(2): 1-5.

Journal of Engineering Design and Analysis

Real-Time Pothole Detection and Driver Alert Mechanism