image: High-tech startup PaveX has used inexpensive advanced sensors and AI to survey and assess more than 3,400 miles of Indiana roads since January 2025. Founder and CEO Mohammad Jahanshahi said the company will soon support pilot projects in California, Illinois, Michigan and North Carolina.
Credit: (Purdue University photo/Kevin Crisp)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A Purdue University-connected startup is leveraging AI to help public works departments across multiple Indiana cities automate road condition assessments and maintain local road infrastructure.
Since January 2025, PaveX has surveyed and assessed more than 3,400 miles of Indiana roads. Mohammad Jahanshahi, CEO and founder, said the company’s solution builds on more than a decade of research and development, using a data collection system that can be implemented for only a few thousand dollars.
“Our patent-pending platform uses advanced computer vision algorithms to assess pavement conditions quickly and objectively,” he said.
PaveX’s platform improves upon traditional assessment methods in several ways:
- Reduced cost because there is no need for specialized vehicles or expensive sensors
- Improved consistency because artificial intelligence ensures standardized and repeatable assessments
- Increased speed because roads can be assessed in a fraction of the time
“Local governments can implement the PaveX system with minimal training and equipment, which leads to enhanced accessibility,” Jahanshahi said. “They receive actionable insights without the need for in-house data analysis expertise, all while eliminating costly hardware in favor of inexpensive advanced sensors that speed up data collection.”
Jahanshahi is an associate professor in Purdue’s Lyles School of Civil and Construction Engineering with a courtesy appointment in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He developed the AI platform and disclosed it to the Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization, which applied for a patent to protect the intellectual property and granted PaveX the exclusive license to commercialize the technology.
Future applications and next milestones
Jahanshahi and his team have been actively engaged in pavement assessment training initiatives led by the Indiana Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) and are eager to implement these strategies in practical, real-world settings. Indiana LTAP is optimistic about the potential of emerging technologies, such as PaveX, to enhance transportation asset management. As a member of the national network of technology transfer centers established by the Federal Highway Administration, Indiana LTAP remains committed to advancing the performance, efficiency and innovation of transportation agencies throughout the state.
Jahanshahi said PaveX is expanding to support pilot projects in other states, including California, Illinois, Michigan and North Carolina.
About PaveX
PaveX merges cutting-edge AI technology with advanced sensors to provide a seamless, cost-effective approach to road condition monitoring. Our mission is to empower communities with smarter, safer infrastructure.
About Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization
The Purdue Innovates Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university’s academic activities through commercializing, licensing and protecting Purdue intellectual property. In fiscal year 2024, the office reported 145 deals finalized with 224 technologies signed, 466 invention disclosures received, and 290 U.S. and international patents received. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, a private, nonprofit foundation created to advance the mission of Purdue University. Contact otcip@prf.org for more information.
About Purdue University
Purdue University is a public research university leading with excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities in the United States, Purdue discovers, disseminates and deploys knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 107,000 students study at Purdue across multiple campuses, locations and modalities, including more than 58,000 at our main campus locations in West Lafayette and Indianapolis. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 14 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its integrated, comprehensive Indianapolis urban expansion; the Mitch Daniels School of Business; Purdue Computes; and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives.