PMC signs MoU with Ather Energy to spot potholes using scooter data

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ather Energy Limited to detect potholes, broken roads and other surface problems across Pune using technology-based road-condition data.

Under the proposed partnership, the PMC will use aggregated data generated by Ather's connected electric scooters as an additional source of digital information. It will be used to assess the condition of roads, decide which locations should be repaired first, and carry out targeted maintenance.

According to Ather's proposal, more than 24,000 Ather scooters are running in Pune. The company's connected vehicles collect information on road conditions during everyday journeys using telemetry and sensor-based technology.

Under the agreement, the PMC will receive aggregated information based on GPS and geolocation. It will cover potholes, road cuts, speed breakers and other surface irregularities. The information is expected to be displayed as Road Health Maps, helping civic officials see where attention is needed.

The data is expected to help the civic body identify problem road stretches, prioritise repair work, take targeted action and monitor locations where road problems keep recurring. It will not replace the PMC's existing road maintenance methods and on-site inspections, but will serve as additional support alongside them.

Under the proposed arrangement, no personal data of citizens or Ather customers will be shared with the PMC. The corporation will receive only aggregated geolocation-based information.

How much data is available will depend on where Ather scooters actually run in the city. The information is expected to be used together with on-site checks by civic officials. Ather's proposal gives no independent guarantee of high accuracy for this automatically collected data.

The MoU will remain in force for one year. During this period, the PMC and Ather will examine how technology and connected-mobility data can help in road management and infrastructure planning in Pune.

PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, Additional Municipal Commissioner Prajit Nair, City Engineer Aniruddha Pavaskar and Rahul Jagtap, head of the information technology department, were present at the signing.

Representing Ather Energy were Milind Kothekar, product head and chief of staff; Dr Surendra Singhroha of corporate, legal and public policy; Hrishikesh Pradhan, senior product manager; and Amol Mohite of government relations and policy.

Commissioner Ram said of the partnership: "Timely identification of road defects is essential for effective road maintenance and the safety of commuters. The data from this partnership will be an additional source of information for identifying problem roads, prioritising repair work and monitoring recurring problems. By combining technology-based information with on-site inspection, the corporation wants to make road management in Pune more data-driven and effective."