EV start-up introduces pothole warning on its bikes

This feature uses data generated by the connected fleet of Ather scooters to warn riders of potholes, broken road sections, uneven surfaces and speed brakes during navigation. | Photo credit: File photo

Ather Energy, an urban electric vehicle start-up, has introduced a Pothole+ alert for its customers who own Gen2 scooters such as the Ather 450 Apex, 450X and Rizta Z.

The feature uses data generated by Ather’s connected fleet of scooters to warn riders of potholes, broken road sections, uneven surfaces and speed breakers while navigating, the company said.

Announcing the rollout, Ather co-founder and CEO Tarun Mehta said the feature was almost nine years in the making. “The challenge was never the idea. It was the data,” he said. He explained that building this feature required a large, connected fleet of people traveling the same roads over time, allowing Ather to generate the range of fleet intelligence needed to accurately identify road conditions.

Alerts would be displayed on the scooter’s dashboard and also transmitted through the scooter’s speakers to the rider via a bluetooth headset. The new feature is also equipped to suggest the smoothest route to riders before they start riding.

Published – 30 Jul 2026 0:32 IST