University of Liverpool’s autonomous technology to tackle pothole crisis

The University of Liverpool in the UK has announced the creation of Robotiz3d, a new spin-out company, to take forward its autonomous road repair system.

Created using artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, the new system detects and repairs road defects such as potholes and road cracks.

Robotiz3d, which is formed in partnership with A2e, will focus on commercialising the patented technology developed by the university’s Engineering Robotics Lab.

Robotiz3d co-founder and CEO Lisa Layzell said: “This is an exciting new spin-out to take forward. The team at Robotiz3d has the expertise and experience in robotics and AI to deliver the project and introduce world-leading innovation to the management of roads and highways.

“We have developed a robust business plan to take forward the portfolio of Robotiz3d-envisaged products.”

Robotiz3d will be financially backed by the university’s Enterprise Investment Fund and will also receive private equity investment from a2e.

Dr Paolo Paoletti and Dr Sebastiano Fichera from the University’s School of Engineering, along with the company’s founders, have been trialling the new technology over the past four years.

It is said that, currently, there is no autonomous technology solution available to tackle the pothole crisis, which is estimated to have cost more than £1bn to repair over the last decade.

Dr Paoletti said: “Robotiz3d Ltd will develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven robotic system to address the national and international potholes problems.

“The proposed system will be able to autonomously detect and characterise road defects such as cracks and potholes, assess and predict the severity of such defects and fix cracks so that they do not evolve into potholes.”

Robotiz3d will be based in Sci-Tech Daresbury.