Pothole detection and classification

A method for determining a condition of a roadway a vehicle is traveling on, the method comprising:

• projecting a light beam onto a roadway surface using an illumination device;
• capturing a plurality of images of the light beam on the roadway surface using a camera as the vehicle is in motion;
• determining a severity of a deformation in the roadway surface based at least in part on the plurality of images of the light beam, including generating a plurality of one-dimensional deformation matrices based at least in part on the plurality of images, wherein generating the plurality of one-dimensional deformation matrices further comprises binarizing one of the plurality of images to produce a binarized image, determining a plurality of deformation values for a plurality of points of the binarized image, wherein to determine the plurality of deformation values, the binarized image is compared to a reference image, and generating the one of the plurality of one-dimensional deformation matrices, wherein one of the plurality of deformation values is stored in each of a plurality of elements of the one of the plurality of one-dimensional deformation matrices;
• and
• notifying an occupant of the vehicle using a display based at least in part on the severity of the deformation in the roadway surface.

A system for determining a condition of a roadway a vehicle is traveling on, the system comprising:

• an illumination device configured to project a light beam onto a roadway surface;
• a camera configured to capture an image of the light beam on the roadway surface;
• an augmented reality head-up display (AR-HUD) system configured to provide information related to the condition of the roadway to an occupant of the vehicle;
• a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) configured to determine a location of the vehicle;
• a vehicle communication system configured to communicate with a remote server;
• and
• a vehicle controller in electrical communication with the illumination device, the camera, the AR-HUD system, the GNSS, and the vehicle communication system, wherein the vehicle controller is programmed to:
• repeatedly execute a plurality of instructions based at least in part on a sampling rate, wherein the plurality of instructions includes:
• determine a location of the vehicle using the GNSS;
• retrieve a quantity of severe deformations in an environment surrounding the vehicle from the remote server using the vehicle communication system based at least in part on the location of the vehicle;
• adjust the sampling rate based at least in part on the quantity of severe deformations in the environment surrounding the vehicle;
• project the light beam onto the roadway surface using the illumination device;
• capture a plurality of images of the light beam on the roadway surface using the camera as the vehicle is in motion;
• determine a severity of a deformation in the roadway surface based at least in part on the plurality of images of the light beam, including generate a plurality of one-dimensional deformation matrices based at least in part on the plurality of images, wherein to generate one of the plurality of one-dimensional deformation matrices, the vehicle controller is further programmed to binarize one of the plurality of images to produce a binarized image, determine a plurality of deformation values for a plurality of points of the binarized image, wherein to determine the plurality of deformation values, the binarized image is compared to a reference image, and generate the one of the plurality of one-dimensional deformation matrices, wherein one of the plurality of deformation values is stored in each of a plurality of elements of the one of the plurality of one-dimensional deformation matrices;
• and
• notify the occupant of the vehicle using the AR-HUD system based at least in part on the severity of the deformation in the roadway surface.