Saving Budgets and Bumpers with SPOTTER, the AI-Powered Pothole Solution

SPOTTER, the latest innovation from Acumen Software, a cutting-edge AIoT solution designed to combat the pothole epidemic!

As UK councils face mounting pressure and budget restrictions from government to repair potholes and provide evidence of their progress, Acumen Software, leading specialists in work management software solutions, launches their latest product, aiming to provide councils globally, with a cost efficient, compact, smart solution that optimises infrastructure maintenance decisions.

SPOTTER transforms how issues are detected, reported, and resolved by streamlining both the inspection and repair processes.

This intelligent system brings together real-time environmental monitoring, machine learning, and seamless integration into existing workflows. It allows councils to move beyond reactive maintenance, enabling smarter budget allocation, more effective resource planning, and improved service delivery.

According to the AA, pothole-related vehicle repairs cost UK motorists an estimated £597 million each year. Thousands of cars suffer damage daily, placing increased pressure on councils to maintain infrastructure, with already stretched budgets.

SPOTTER offers a smarter, more sustainable solution. Small enough to mount onto any vehicle, this robust device continuously analyses road surfaces as vehicles drive throughout the cities - identifying abnormalities and automatically logging issues in real-time, in varying weather or lighting conditions.

Since SPOTTER can be easily installed onto any vehicle, it allows for continuous data collection across entire cities without the need for dedicated inspection vehicles or personnel. This reduces the need for costly, time-consuming manual surveys by up to 70% and can save councils millions annually.

The utilisation of AI for road inspections maximises operational efficiency, but this is only half of the solution. What sets SPOTTER apart is its direct integration with Forcelink, Acumen’s mobile field services ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) solution.

As SPOTTER detects potholes, it continuously sends data to the back office which automatically calculates the pothole’s volume, prioritises it based on severity, determines the materials required for repair, calculates the budget, and schedules the appropriate contractor using Forcelink’s AI schedular. This ensures faster response times, first-time resolution, and increased operational efficiency.

SPOTTER also seamlessly integrates with the My Smart City citizen platform, or other public portals, for efficient road maintenance and citizen engagement. This integration improves service transparency and public trust.

“The biggest advantage SPOTTER has is that it sits on top of not one, but two well-established solutions – with almost 20 years of extensive experience” said Acumen Software CEO, Joao Zoio. 

Although initial focus upon launch has been placed specifically on pothole detection, SPOTTER has been meticulously trained to detect a variety of faults, from faded road markings, rutting and cracks to graffiti and water pooling.

The SPOTTER solution has been specifically engineered with the capability of easily integrating with any other sensors and machine learning pipelines, meaning that the future possibilities of smart detection remains endless.

“As the SPOTTER model evolves and continues to learn, we plan to expand beyond roads enhancing security, public safety, and emergency response.” says Zoio.

The SPOTTER solution was created in response to the need for faster, more reliable infrastructure reporting and repairs. By automatically logging road faults, it helps reduce the volume of complaints received by councils and relieves the public of the burden of manually reporting the same recurring issues.

The device itself houses a wide-angle camera, with a LiDAR system, a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), GPS for highly accurate coordinates, and LTE connectivity for real-time data transmission and remote data accessibility - making it a powerful tool for both urban and rural road networks.

From detection to closure, SPOTTER works quietly in the background—keeping cities moving and infrastructure resilient. It’s a smart solution for a persistent problem, packaged in a small, affordable device that’s built to make a big difference.