10180157PotholePredictor: Quantum-Enabled Predictive Maintenance for Road Infrastructure IntegrityClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UK**Potholes and road-surface failures** remain one of the most costly and disruptive challenges for the **UK transport network**. Every year, local authorities spend billions repairing damage that could often have been prevented if early signs of **subsurface weakness** were detected sooner. These defects increase **travel delays**, **vehicle damage**, maintenance-related **carbon emissions**, and public dissatisfaction. Conventional inspection methods such as **visual surveys** or **ground-penetrating radar (GPR)** can only identify issues once cracks or deformations have already formed, leaving limited time to act before further deterioration occurs. **PotholePredictor**, led by **Cambridge Flair Ltd**, seeks to change this by applying **quantum sensing** to reveal hidden damage long before it reaches the surface. The project investigates how **vehicle-mounted quantum gravity gradiometers** can detect minute variations in the Earth's gravitational field. These variations indicate subtle differences in underground density caused by **water ingress**, **voids**, or **material fatigue**, providing an early warning of emerging structural weaknesses that traditional technologies cannot capture. The system applies **second-generation quantum sensing**, based on the **coherent control of cold atoms**, to achieve levels of precision far beyond any existing inspection techniques. When combined with **AI-assisted data interpretation**, it can produce clear, high-resolution maps showing which areas of road are beginning to deteriorate. This enables maintenance teams to **prioritise interventions**, extend asset life, and **avoid unnecessary resurfacing**, saving both time and resources. Delivered under the **Quantum Technologies for Transport - Phase 1** competition, this three-month feasibility study will assess the **technical practicality**, **sensitivity**, and **commercial potential** of deploying mobile quantum sensors for predictive road monitoring. **Cambridge Flair Ltd** will use advanced **modelling, simulation, and system analysis** to evaluate **sensor performance**, **environmental tolerance**, and the **economic benefits** of adopting predictive, data-driven maintenance across regional and national transport networks. If successful, the results from Phase 1 will pave the way for **Phase 2 prototype development**, where quantum sensors will be integrated into a dedicated **survey vehicle** for live trials on UK roads. The long-term ambition is to establish a **quantum-enabled predictive maintenance platform** that assists **local authorities**, **highway agencies**, and **infrastructure operators** in reducing repair costs, improving road safety, and lowering environmental impact. By combining **quantum precision**, **AI intelligence**, and **transport innovation**, **PotholePredictor** represents a transformative step in **infrastructure management**. It supports the UK's ambition for **global leadership in quantum technologies**, **transport resilience**, and **sustainable infrastructure modernisation**, contributing directly to the nation's **Net Zero**, **smart mobility**, and **future-ready infrastructure** goals.