West Sussex County Council aims to cut highway inspection times and reduce safety risks by fitting eight vehicles with dashboard-mounted AI cameras. The devices log potholes, cracking, surface wear and faded road markings as inspectors drive their routes.
Automatic defect logging on the move
Highway inspection usually requires inspectors to stop on the roadside to photograph defects and record details manually. This is time-consuming and can expose inspectors to hazards on busy roads.
The new system changes that order. Cameras automatically capture road conditions during journeys. AI software identifies defects in real time and uploads the data to the council’s Confirm asset management system. Inspectors then review and validate the findings rather than record every defect by hand.
Where the technology fits in
The trial forms part of West Sussex’s wider Better Roads programme, which combines repair investment with smarter data collection and maintenance planning. Councillor Erika Woodhurst-Trueman says the technology will encourage more consistent and informed decisions across the council’s highway network.
The system is designed to free inspectors from administration and allow them to survey more of the network while spending less time stopped on carriageways. The approach suits a mid-size county council managing a mix of rural and urban roads in the south of England.
Measuring the impact
The council will measure how many miles the inspectors cover per shift and whether repeat visits to known defects reduce. Reporting speed and inspector safety will also be assessed. Environmental benefits such as cutting unnecessary vehicle journeys and fuel use will form part of the review.
Details on the technology supplier, costs, start date or exact trial length remain undisclosed beyond a multi-year timeframe. The key test will be whether validating AI-identified defects is quicker than current manual recording.
What changes for road users and inspectors
The trial will be invisible to drivers. The key difference lies in reducing the number of times inspectors stop on potentially busy roads, improving safety and efficiency. For West Sussex highways teams, this could mean more accurate, timely data that supports proactive road maintenance, helping to extend road life and reduce disruption.
