In advance of the Hajj season, the Saudi Roads General Authority (RGA) has launched a large and advanced AI-powered road inspection fleet. It consists of 18 high-tech units utilising five state-of-the-art technologies, all aimed at improving road safety, enhancing quality, and providing an exceptional experience for pilgrims.
The fleet includes specialised equipment for scanning surface damage, measuring the International Roughness Index (IRI), assessing pavement layer thickness, evaluating structural deflection, and testing skid resistance. Among the highlights are seven surface damage scanners equipped with high-resolution cameras, laser units, GPS, and data storage systems for precise analysis and immediate maintenance decisions, especially critical on routes to the holy sites.
Four IRI units evaluate road smoothness and driving comfort using laser sensors. Another three use multi-frequency radar to check pavement layer thickness, while another three measure road deflection under traffic loads using advanced sensor systems. A single skid resistance unit simulates rainy conditions to test friction levels and ensure safety in adverse weather.
The fleet also features a mobile digital imaging scanner that inspects unpaved elements such as road signs and safety barriers, assisting in identifying potential risks and optimising maintenance planning.
The Roads General Authority, the national regulator of Saudi Arabia’s Road sector, aims to raise the quality of roads to rank sixth globally by 2030 and reduce road fatalities to fewer than five per 100,000 people. The Kingdom has had considerable success in reducing road fatalities thanks to the efforts of the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, Ministerial Committee of Traffic Safety, regional traffic safety committees and other authorities, with measures ranging from improving the road infrastructure and signage to traffic law enforcement and instilling safe driver behaviour. The road fatality rate dropped from 28.6 per 100,000 in 2016 to around 13 per 100,000 in 2023.
