New program uses Waymo vehicles to spot potholes across metro Atlanta

ATLANTA — Waymo and Waze are launching a new pilot program aimed at helping cities identify and repair potholes more efficiently using data collected from autonomous vehicles and drivers.

The program is launching in five areas where Waymo currently operates: the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and most importantly, right here in metro Atlanta. Company officials said approximately 500 potholes have already been identified in those locations.

The program will use Waymo’s onboard perception systems and vehicle feedback to detect potholes in real time where its vehicles operate. That information will then be shared with local governments through the Waze for Cities platform, a free tool that provides transportation data to municipalities and state departments of transportation.

Officials said the data will supplement existing reports from residents and manual inspections, which many cities rely on to track road conditions.

“Waymo is already making roads safer where we operate,” said Arielle Fleisher, a policy development and research manager at Waymo. “We want to build on the safety benefits of our service by partnering with organizations and city officials to help improve the infrastructure we all depend on.”

Potholes are a common issue for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, and, as many of you Atlantans might well know, can lead to vehicle damage and crashes. Transportation officials said identifying and repairing them quickly remains a challenge, particularly when relying on public reports that may not capture the full scope of road conditions.

Under the pilot, pothole data collected by Waymo vehicles will be combined with user-reported information on Waze. The alerts will also be visible to drivers using the app, who can confirm or dispute reports to improve accuracy.

Transportation experts said the initiative could help fill gaps in how cities monitor road conditions.

Sarah Kaufman, the director of the New York University Rudin Center for Transportation, said the partnership highlights how private companies can contribute to public infrastructure.

“It’s a simple step, but it reflects a broader principle that companies operating on public streets can help improve them,” Kaufman said.

Waymo and Waze officials said the pilot could expand to additional cities in the future, particularly in regions where winter weather worsens road damage.