Student Developed AI Tool for Pothole Detection
A West High School student created an iOS application currently undergoing testing by the Utah Department of Transportation.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence
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On September 24, 2026, 17-year-old student Ivan Turan presented a new AI-based pothole detection application to the Utah Department of Transportation. The app is currently available for public use on Apple iOS devices.
Why it matters
The tool aims to increase road safety by automating the identification and documentation of road hazards. It was developed following reports of fatal accidents related to poor road conditions, and is now being evaluated by state transportation officials.
The application uses a mobile device camera to perform real-time detection of road damage. It logs precise geographic coordinates and captures a photographic snapshot of the damage for review.
The players
Ivan Turan
A 17-year-old student at West High School who developed an AI-based pothole detection application.
Utah Department of Transportation
The state agency responsible for road maintenance and safety infrastructure currently testing the AI tool.
The details
The application functions by utilizing a smartphone mounted to a vehicle dashboard to scan the road surface in real time. Upon detecting a pothole, the software automatically logs the exact geographic location and saves a snapshot of the damage. This process aims to streamline the reporting of road hazards, with future development plans focused on enabling direct, automated communication of this repair data to the Utah Department of Transportation.
Timeline
September 24, 2026: Ivan Turan presented the app to the Utah Department of Transportation.
2026: The application received recognition as a finalist at the National STEM Festival.
The Tech Race
This project aligns with the broader push for automated infrastructure maintenance seen at the National STEM Festival. It marks a transition from conceptual research to practical testing within municipal and state transportation frameworks.
The application is currently available for public download on the Apple iOS platform. Residents interested in testing the software can mount their mobile device on their vehicle dashboard to begin documenting road hazards for potential state review.
The takeaway
The project represents a shift toward crowdsourced, AI-enabled road monitoring that could augment traditional maintenance workflows. Watch for future updates from the Utah Department of Transportation regarding the integration of this data into their repair request systems.
Further reading
For broader trends in infrastructure automation and sensor deployment, see Artificial Intelligence.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KSL.
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