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How AI is paving the way to smoother streets using autonomous robots

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How AI is paving the way to smoother streets using autonomous robots

Have you ever been in a situation where you’re cruising down the road, enjoying a smooth ride, when suddenly — wham — you hit a pothole? 

It jolts your car and reminds you of the never-ending battle against these road menaces.

Well, that scenario could be over very soon. 

Tech firm Robotiz3d is developing three technologies as part of its Autonomous Road Repair System (ARRES).

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The pothole-preventing robot  (Hertfordshire)

ARRES Eye: Detecting surface problems

The ARRES Eye technology, a pivotal component of the system, is strategically installed on various vehicles, including buses, trucks and maintenance vehicles. As these vehicles make their way through city streets and urban environments, they meticulously scan road surfaces for signs of distress.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

A pothole-preventing robot  (Hertfordshire)

By leveraging advanced imaging technology, ARRES Eye identifies surface issues such as cracks, potholes and other damage. It identifies their exact location, assesses their severity and prioritizes repair tasks. The collected data is logged into a central database for management.

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Pothole prevention data  (Hertfordshire)

MORE: THIS ROBOT INVENTION CAN DO BACKFLIPS BETTER THAN A GYMNAST  

ARRES Prevent: The pothole-preventing robot

ARRES Prevent combines artificial intelligence (AI) and an unmanned robotic vehicle to tackle potholes head-on. The compact electric robo vehicle, approximately the size of a small van, patrols roads day and night. Equipped with autonomous driving abilities, it navigates streets independently or under remote human guidance.

A waypoint navigation system guides the vehicle from one point to another. As an added safety feature, it can be remotely controlled, monitored or stopped.

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When ARRES Prevent detects small cracks in road surfaces, it promptly seals them using innovative materials. By preventing water infiltration, it stops potholes from forming due to rain and frost. Real-time repair data is recorded for quality control, ensuring effective maintenance. Notably, the prototype of this system has successfully completed its inaugural live trial in the U.K.

Robotiz3d developed this autonomous robot. The University of Liverpool and Hertfordshire County Council Highways Engineers also collaborated on it. 

Pothole-preventing robot  (Hertfordshire)

MORE: THIS HUMANOID ROBOT IS NOW CAPABLE OF FULL CONVERSATONS 

ARRES Ultra: Taking road repair to the next level

As Robotiz3d continues its mission, it’s developing the ARRES Ultra, a robust machine designed for more extensive repairs: The ARRES Ultra will address larger surface cracks and fully grown potholes. Its capabilities include site preparation, precise filling of problem areas and compacting the repaired surface for a seamless finish. Rigorous testing and refinement will pave the way for full-scale production, promising a revolution in road maintenance.

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Pothole repair robot (Hertfordshire)

MORE: AI ROBOT THAT CAN TRIM, EDGE, AND BLOW YOUR LAWN FOR YOU  

How the robots promise to save time and money

Potholes impact everyone, whether cyclists or motorists. Traditional maintenance methods are costly, labor-intensive and outright dangerous for a road crew. ARRES promises efficiency and cost savings. Nipping potholes in the bud could transform road maintenance across the U.K. and beyond.

Pothole-preventing robot  (Hertfordshire)

How the pothole robot went from research to reality

The University of Liverpool’s School of Engineering laid the groundwork for ARRES. After four years of dedicated research, a spinoff company, Robotiz3d, emerged in 2020, driven by the vision of AI-driven robotic maintenance. Innovate UK recognized its potential and provided funding in 2021, propelling ARRES from theory to practical application. Since then, other organizations, including Horizon Europe, CERN, the Department For Transport in the UK(DFT) and the CAM UK program, have provided funding. 

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A robot that prevents potholes (Hertfordshire)

Kurt’s key takeaways

As ARRES takes its first steps on the roads, we’re witnessing a leap forward in infrastructure management. With this AI-powered robot, potholes may soon become a thing of the past. Robotiz3d says this is a local innovation with global potential. So, next time you drive or cycle, remember, behind the scenes, ARRES could soon be silently working to keep our roads smooth and safe for you.

Beyond potholes, what other infrastructure challenges do you think robotic technologies could help solve? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter

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Use this map to find the data centers in your backyard

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Use this map to find the data centers in your backyard

When Oregon resident Isabelle Reksopuro heard Google was gobbling up public land to fuel its data centers in her home state, she didn’t initially know what to believe. “There’s a lot of misinformation about data centers,” she said. “Google has denied taking that land.”

Technically, she explains, The Dalles, a city near the Washington state border, sought to reclaim that land, “and Google is just a big, unnamed power user.” The city had in fact asked for ownership of a 150-acre portion of Mount Hood National Forest, claiming it needs access to Mount Hood’s watershed to meet municipal needs as its population — 16,010 as of the 2020 census — grows. But critics, including environmentalists, say the city is trying to secure more water for Google, which has a sprawling data center campus in The Dalles that already consumes about one-third of the city’s water supply.

This controversy made Reksopuro curious about the backlash to data centers being built in other communities. So Reksopuro, a student at the University of Washington who studies the connections between tech and public policy, decided to map it out. Using information collected by Epoch AI and data scraped from legislation on data centers, she built an interactive map tracking AI policy around the world. She designed it to be simple enough for anyone to use. “I wanted it to be something that my younger sisters could play through and explore to understand what are the data centers in the area and what’s actually being done about it,” Reksopuro said. She hoped to shift their opinions that way, “instead of like, through TikTok.”

Four times a day, the map searches for new sources and checks them against the existing database Reksopuro built out. “Once it does that, it will write a new summary, add it to the news feed, and populate it on the sidebar,” she said. “I wanted it to be self-updating, since I’m also a student.”

Reksopuro isn’t against data centers, but she thinks tech giants benefit from a lack of transparency around data center policies. “Right now, it’s this really opaque thing — and all of a sudden, there’s a facility,” she said. “I think that if people knew about data centers beforehand, it would give them leverage. They would be able to negotiate: ask for job training programs, tax revenue, environmental monitoring, things to improve their community.”

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Fox News AI Newsletter: Graduation speaker praises AI, gets instantly booed

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Fox News AI Newsletter: Graduation speaker praises AI, gets instantly booed

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

 

Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.

IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:

– UCF graduates clobber commencement speaker with boos after she says AI is the ‘next Industrial Revolution’

– OPINION: DIRECTOR KASH PATEL: We brought the FBI out of the past and into the AI age

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– OpenAI backs creation of global AI governance body led by the U.S. that would include China as a member

TOUGH CROWD: During a recent commencement ceremony at the University of Central Florida, a speaker was met with loud boos from the graduating class after declaring that artificial intelligence represents the next industrial revolution. Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI’s growing footprint in daily life.

A statue on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. (iStock)

BADGE MEETS BYTE: Reflecting on the modernization of national security in a Fox News op-ed, FBI Director Kash Patel explores how the bureau must adapt its strategies to address modern threats and advance beyond the artificial intelligence age.

TECH DIPLOMACY: OpenAI is throwing its support behind the establishment of a new global artificial intelligence governance organization that would be led by the United States while notably including China as a member. Fox News Digital reporting examines the geopolitical dynamics and regulatory implications of this proposed framework as global powers race to set the standards for AI development.

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EQUITY ELEVATION: The massive wave of wealth generated by the explosive growth of ChatGPT and the broader AI industry is driving a sudden surge in the San Francisco Bay Area’s luxury real estate market. Fox News Digital reporting breaks down how the influx of new tech capital is reshaping local housing dynamics and fueling a high-end property frenzy.

FBI Director Kash Patel listened as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference at the Department of Justice on April 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

STRATEGY RESET: Tech giant Cisco is planning to eliminate thousands of jobs as the company shifts its primary focus to accelerate its artificial intelligence initiatives, a move that comes despite the company beating earnings expectations. Fox News Digital reporting details the corporate restructuring and broader economic trends pushing legacy tech firms to aggressively pivot toward AI.

ROAD HAZARD: Waymo is issuing a sweeping recall of its autonomous vehicle fleet following a concerning incident that highlighted significant safety issues with the self-driving technology. Fox News Digital reporting outlines the specifics of the recall, the nature of the safety flaw, and what this setback means for the future of fully autonomous transportation on public roads.

BOTS IN THE BAY: A newly developed, artificial intelligence-powered robot has been engineered to seamlessly change and balance vehicle tires without human intervention. Fox News Digital reporting showcases this latest innovation, exploring how automation and AI mechanics could soon revolutionize the automotive service and repair industry.

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the 2026 Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C., on March 11, 2026. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)

 

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Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.

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Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs

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Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs

Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.

In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.

Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.

You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.

Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”

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