Ather Energy Limited, one of India’s leading electric two-wheeler manufacturers, and Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to use road impediment data generated through Ather’s Pothole+ Alerts technology to support road safety and infrastructure improvement across Pune.
Under the MoU, Ather will share agreed road impediment data, including information on potholes, broken road patches and uneven stretches, with PMC. The data will help the civic body identify locations that need attention, prioritise repairs, and plan targeted interventions. Tracking these impediments over time can also help PMC identify recurring problem areas and locations that may require further assessment or repairs.
Pothole+ Alerts uses data generated by Ather’s connected scooters as they travel on everyday routes. By aggregating road-related inputs from its fleet, the technology identifies road impediments and alerts riders to potentially rough stretches. These fleet-generated insights can provide civic authorities with an additional source of information on road conditions to inform maintenance planning and decision-making.
The collaboration brings together Ather’s connected vehicle technology and PMC’s civic infrastructure responsibilities to support more informed, data-led road maintenance. By combining fleet-generated insights with on-ground assessments, the initiative aims to help PMC identify problem areas, plan targeted interventions, and monitor road impediments that emerge or persist over time.
Ravneet S. Phokela, Chief Business Officer, Ather Energy Limited, said “As cities grow, technology and data will play an increasingly important role in how we plan and maintain urban infrastructure. At Ather, our connected fleet gives us an opportunity to generate insights into road conditions across everyday routes. Through our partnership with Pune Municipal Corporation, we will be sharing these insights to support the corporation’s efforts in identifying road impediments and planning repairs. We see this as an important step towards using connected technology not just to improve the riding experience, but also to contribute to safer roads and more effective urban infrastructure planning.”
Naval Kishore Ram, IAS, Municipal Commissioner, Pune said “Timely identification of road defects is important for effective road maintenance and commuter safety. The data shared through this collaboration will provide an additional input for identifying stretches that require attention, prioritising repairs and monitoring recurring road impediments. We look forward to exploring how technology-led insights can complement our existing processes and support efforts to improve Pune’s road infrastructure.”
The MoU establishes a one-year framework for collaboration, focused on sharing agreed road impediment data to support road maintenance and infrastructure planning in Pune. Powered by AtherStackTM 7, Pothole+ Alerts provides proactive, in-navigation warnings about rough road stretches and suggests smoother routes, helping riders anticipate road conditions before and during their journeys. By extending the application of this technology to civic infrastructure planning, the collaboration aims to help PMC identify recurring road issues, direct repair efforts towards priority locations and monitor road conditions over time.
