WCX 2026: Honda's crowdsourced PRMS can improve roads, drivers

Proactive Roadway Maintenance System could tap into humanity's altruistic mode. Sue Bai has done the research and will deliver a keynote speech at WCX 2026.

The Ohio Department of Transportation is responsible for nearly 49,000 lane miles (79,000 km) of roadway, and one way ODOT knows which ones need attention is to send actual employees out to take actual notes. A recent project, conducted with Honda, could drastically reduce this type of driving busywork, giving ODOT more time - and money - to actually fix things instead of spending time searching for the things that need fixing.

Honda worked with DriveOhio, ODOT's smart mobility hub, to further develop the automaker's Proactive Roadway Maintenance System (PRMS). Honda has been testing PRMS since 2021 and completed the two-year Ohio project in January. Technology partners included i-Probe Inc., Parsons, and the University of Cincinnati.