Cars will help road authorities by continuously informing them about the state of the road. This gives road authorities a more frequent and more complete picture of the maintenance status and of unsafe situations on the road. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, together with Mercedes-Benz, will ensure that anonymous information from vehicles is shared with all Dutch road authorities over the next two years. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and Mercedes-Benz will announce these plans on March 29, 2022 at the Intertraffic Amsterdam trade fair.
“At the moment we collect information about our roads via, for example, fixed sensors or driving road inspectors. Because it is currently not possible to measure continuously, our road map is not up-to-date. By using thousands of Mercedes-Benz cars, road authorities know more quickly about the quality of their road. That is why I think this collaboration is a valuable addition. Over the next two years, all Dutch road authorities will be able to use the information, which we will finance from the national government.”
Alert when slippery or hole in the road
The sensors that now help drivers to drive comfortably and safely can also monitor the quality of a road. Is it slippery, are road signs and lines still clearly visible, is the road surface damaged or do cars often drive over a solid line somewhere (for example because the bend is too sharp there)?
Road authorities can use this information to plan road maintenance. For example, they are better able to efficiently manage contractors and spreading teams. Ultimately, the quick overview of the road situation will help to improve road safety.
Road manager sees and organizes
If road authorities (Rijkswaterstaat, provinces or municipalities) join the 'Road Monitor' initiative, they can see the anonymized data about their roads on a dashboard. This indicates, for example: “Ten vehicles were unable to detect the lines here properly”. The dashboard combines the vehicle information with public data, such as about the weather and traffic accidents.
Road Monitor allows road authorities to identify damage or wear more quickly, which means that this can be remedied more efficiently. The aim is also to prevent or even postpone major maintenance, because minor damage is repaired earlier. Not only does this make the road safer for road users, it also prevents unexpected nuisance.
Investment by IenW
It has been agreed with Mercedes-Benz to start this joint learning process for two years. During that period, the ministry, Mercedes-Benz and the associated road authorities assess the added value of Road Monitor. This concerns questions such as: Is the information sufficiently detailed and reliable? How can this information best be shared with road authorities? What does this mean for work processes? Is it enough?
The dashboard will be financed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment for two years. All road authorities can therefore use the information for free during this period. They can register via www.roadmonitor.nl. At the end of 2023, the balance sheet will be drawn up and the added value will be evaluated, according to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
