CITYROVER Case Study
City of Longueuil, QC
Drive. Detect. Determine.
Overview
In 2023, the City of Longueuil implemented CITYROVER, an AI-powered system for automatic pothole detection and road condition management. This initiative modernized how the City monitors and repairs road infrastructure, earning Longueuil the “Excellence – Municipal Challenge” award at the annual RIMQ (Quebec Municipal Information Network) conference. The project reflects how AI and interdepartmental collaboration can transform public services and create smarter, data-driven cities.
Challenges
Key challenges included:
Lack of real-time visibility into road conditions Difficulty prioritizing high-impact repairs Siloed communication between departments Over-reliance on reactive repair strategiesProblems
The City’s manual approach to pothole management was inefficient and fragmented. Crews were often sent out based on delayed or incomplete reports, causing missed repairs and duplicated efforts. There was also no central system to track pothole history or monitor trends.
This resulted in:
Slower response times to citizen complaints Inconsistent data on pothole size, severity, and location Poor allocation of repair resources Limited ability to forecast or plan for long-term infrastructure needsSolution
Longueuil introduced CITYROVER, a compact, AI-driven camera system mounted in city vehicles. As the vehicles move, CITYROVER camera detects potholes, geolocates them, assesses severity, and captures images. This data is automatically uploaded to a live, cloud-based map used by Public Works to manage and prioritize repairs.
CITYROVER features include:
Real-time pothole detection and severity grading Photo documentation of road issues Interactive dashboard to track repairs and analyze trends Significant improvements in repair prioritization and response time.
The initiative was developed through close collaboration between Public Works, Urban Planning, and Geomatics & Innovative Technologies, ensuring successful implementation and alignment with city operations.
Solution
Longueuil introduced CITYROVER, a compact, AI-driven camera system mounted in city vehicles. As the vehicles move, CITYROVER camera detects potholes, geolocates them, assesses severity, and captures images. This data is automatically uploaded to a live, cloud-based map used by Public Works to manage and prioritize repairs.
CITYROVER features include:
Real-time pothole detection and severity grading Photo documentation of road issues Interactive dashboard to track repairs and analyze trends Significant improvements in repair prioritization and response time.The initiative was developed through close collaboration between Public Works, Urban Planning, and Geomatics & Innovative Technologies, ensuring successful implementation and alignment with city operations.
Implementation Results
The CITYROVER system has significantly improved Longueuil’s efficiency and responsiveness in road maintenance.
Faster identification and repair of road damage
Smarter resource deployment and route planning
Better tracking of completed repairs and performance metrics
Increased public satisfaction due to quicker response times
“CITYROVER doesn’t just detect potholes.
It also takes into account citizen requests and information available on WAZE. The great thing about CITYROVER is the integration of all this information.”
“But the most common method is a software program called CITYROVER, which scans city streets. (CITYROVER Software) Teams are therefore dedicated to the rounds, and then we detect potholes. Thanks to this tool, the team will be able to create work orders, which will also allow them to prioritize the work to be done on our streets.”
“CITYROVER doesn’t just detect potholes.
It also takes into account citizen requests and information available on WAZE. The great thing about CITYROVER is the integration of all this information.”
“But the most common method is a software program called CITYROVER, which scans city streets. (CITYROVER Software) Teams are therefore dedicated to the rounds, and then we detect potholes. Thanks to this tool, the team will be able to create work orders, which will also allow them to prioritize the work to be done on our streets.”
Quebec Municipal Information Network Excellence
Municipal Challenge
Recognition
In addition to operational success, the project positioned Longueuil as a leader in smart municipal infrastructure. Winning the 2023 RIMQ Excellence Award validated the City’s commitment to innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
