When Potholes Strike

Elvis Presley once sang, ‘A Little less conversation, a little more action please’. This is a song that ought to be played on a loop to local councils and the Highways Agency (HA). Yes, the ‘pothole’ saga rumbles on like a broken wheel bearing. Potholes are the scourge of modern driving (in the UK at least) but now pothole detection technology has started to become an increasingly important new feature in modern vehicle development and it’s being pioneered by Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). Let’s hope it trickles down to the mainstream soon.

The thinking is that, in the event of a potential pothole strike, technology can help improve road safety and reduce the risk of costly vehicle repairs, which of course makes obvious sense. Like it or not our cars are increasingly connected as autonomous driving technology continue to evolve; that’s why car makers like JLR are exploring new ways to identify road hazards before the worst happens. JLR’s pothole detection research, looks at how vehicles could detect damaged road surfaces and share information with other road users.

It Works Like This

 Like all the other watchful technology (proximity warnings and the like) the system uses a combination of cameras, sensors, radar and vehicle data to identify changes in the road surface. Some systems can detect potholes ahead of the vehicle, while others monitor suspension movement and wheel impacts to recognise damaged roads after driving over them and we all know where that ends: At your local car servicing garage for repairs and renewals and a battle for compensation.

As on board tech gets better and better, pothole information can be processed in real time to support driver assistance features or shared with cloud-based systems to improve mapping and road condition monitoring which could even be passed immediately to the appropriate authorities which could mean quicker road repairs. Sadly no technology yet exists to automatically galvanise your council or the HA into action.

When The Worst Happens

 Some readers may know the feeling: We’re all happily driving along, the road is clear and then suddenly, as if by magic, there’s a pothole like a crater on the moon. There is a thump, the steering wheel leaps and a stop is required. If a car is properly inspected, serviced and maintained on a regular basis, the car may escape damage. After all, suspension components are made to take punishment. It’s always best to get your local professional car servicing garage and MOT centre to inspect the undercarriage for wear and tear that isn’t immediately noticeable.

Meanwhile, at the side of the road some damage will be obvious; deflated and torn tyres, a drop of suspension on one side and the like? Not all pothole damage is immediately obvious, though. A hard impact can put a significant amount of force through the tyre and wheel and into the wheel hub, wheel bearings, steering and suspension systems. Sometimes a component may have been damaged or stressed without showing an obvious sign until days or weeks later.

A Knock-On Effect

 A bad strike can reverberate through all a vehicle’s moving parts. There’s quite a list: Control arms, ball joints, suspension bushes and stabiliser links can all be exposed to the big bang. Steering parts like tie rod ends can also be affected, particularly where an impact changes wheel alignment or creates play in a joint. Wheel bearings can be affected too. A severe impact can place excessive loads on the bearing’s internal components, potentially causing damage that only becomes noticeable later, just when you don’t need it.

The Steering Feels Odd

 A good tell-tale is when, after driving off, the car doesn’t ‘feel’ right.

The steering might suddenly feel less precise when turning a corner or may pull to one side. The wheel may feel out of true. Some cars have a ‘top-dead-centre’ mark on the steering wheel but if not, having checked that the wheel is true, it’s a good idea to put a piece of tape at 12 O’clock. That way it will be clear that the wheel is off centre. Clearly, this doesn’t necessarily mean the steering has failed, wheel and tyre alignment can be affected by an impact, while damaged or worn steering and suspension components can also change how the vehicle behaves.

A control arm, for example, connects the chassis to the steering knuckle and helps control wheel movement while maintaining alignment and stability. Damage to this or its bushings or associated ball joint can affect alignment and handling. Steering components such as tie rods can also be affected and they transfer steering input to the wheels. Thus excessive play or damage can influence steering precision and vehicle stability.

Inspections Are Vital

 That’s why you need to get your car inspected regularly. A garage that is also an MOT centre is a good idea because their technicians are trained to spot such damage or wear and tear. If you’ve had a new pothole strike, explain to your technician how the vehicle suddenly feels different which can point the technician towards the area that needs closer attention. Never leave it to tomorrow. Any inkling that the car feels off-colour must be checked out straight away by professionals. This will also be of value when making a claim.