Waymo and Waze Launch Pothole Detection Pilot in Metro Atlanta

Self-driving cars will identify road damage to help local governments fix issues faster.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 1:06pm

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A highly detailed 3D illustration of the sensor array on a Waymo self-driving car, with glowing cyan and magenta lights illuminating the intricate hardware components, conceptually representing the vehicle's advanced technology for detecting road hazards.Waymo's self-driving cars use advanced sensors to identify potholes and other road damage, sharing the data to help local governments fix issues faster.Atlanta Today

A new pilot program in metro Atlanta is using self-driving technology from Waymo and Waze's data platform to help spot potholes and share that information with local transportation officials. The goal is to provide a more complete picture of road conditions and allow cities to respond to and repair issues more efficiently, improving safety for drivers.

Why it matters

Potholes can cause significant vehicle damage and increase the risk of crashes, but many cities currently rely on limited 311 complaints and manual inspections to identify problem areas. This new program aims to fill those gaps by leveraging autonomous vehicle sensors and crowdsourced data to give transportation officials a more comprehensive view of road conditions.

The details

Using onboard sensors and technology, Waymo's self-driving vehicles can detect potholes in real-time as they operate in metro Atlanta. That data is then shared through Waze's "Waze for Cities" platform, giving local governments another tool to find and repair road issues more quickly. The pothole information will also appear in the Waze app, alerting drivers as they approach problem areas and allowing users to confirm reports to improve accuracy.

  • The pilot program is launching in several cities, including metro Atlanta, where Waymo vehicles are already operating.
  • Waymo says it has already identified about 500 potholes across its initial launch cities, including Atlanta.

The players

Waymo

An American autonomous driving company and a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company.

Waze

A free, crowdsourced traffic and navigation app owned by Google.

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What’s next

The companies say the goal is to help cities respond faster and keep roads safer for everyone as the pilot program expands to additional locations.

The takeaway

By combining autonomous vehicle technology and crowdsourced data, this pilot program offers a new approach to identifying and addressing potholes that could lead to faster repairs and improved road safety in metro Atlanta and beyond.