---
title: Google Is Developing a System to Map Potholes Using a Car's GPS
description: Google has filed a patent for a solution to pothole reporting that uses the GPS of car navigation system to map out roads with pothole problems.
authors:
  - name: Ethan Wolff-Mann
    url: https://money.com/author/ethan-wolff-mann/
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published: '2015-08-25T17:46:10.000Z'
modified: '2024-04-16T06:38:47.000Z'
section: Technology
tags:
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  - Google
  - Infrastructure
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word_count: 153
canonical: https://money.com/google-patent-gps-potholes-tracking-map/
type: Article
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> **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/).

![Google Pothole GPS Map Patent](https://img.money.com/2015/08/google-pothole-gps-map-solution.jpg)
*Boston Public Works uses a Smartphone app to report potholes. Google has a new solution in the works.*

Everyone hates potholes. They can spill your coffee, [tax your suspension](https://money.com/save-money-car-gas-repairs-insurance/), and if you're a cyclist, they can easily leave you with a broken collarbone.

Last week, Google [filed a patent](http://www.freepatentsonline.com/9108640.pdf) to help solve pothole problems, describing a system that uses the GPS from cars' navigation systems in conjunction with another bump sensor that detects vertical movement to map out potholes. Then, the system uploads the data to the cloud.

Fixing potholes is simple—municipalities and states simply fill them in—but locating them is inefficient, usually relying on people to fill out a form and [report them individually](http://a841-dotvweb01.nyc.gov/Potholeform/ViewController/CreateComplaint.aspx). If Google puts this technology into cars, an entire database of road condition would be available to the Department of Transportation, enabling it easily identify and prioritize problem areas.

As [Autoblog notes](http://www.autoblog.com/2015/08/25/google-patent-will-turn-cars-into-pothole-patrollers/), a patent isn't a guarantee Google will actually develop this into a reality, but judging from Google's [forays into self-driving cars](http://www.google.com/selfdrivingcar/) it seems likely.

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