India, Sept. 8 -- Researchers from Heidelberg University and HeiGIT have released the first global, multi-temporal road surface dataset, mapping pavedness, width and passability for 9.2 million km of arterial roads in 2020 and 2024 with 89.2 per cent accuracy.

Using geospatial AI and PlanetScope imagery, the open dataset reveals global infrastructure disparities and supports planning, logistics, climate resilience and humanitarian operations.

Accurate, high-resolution, and up-to-date global data on road surface conditions is a critical logistical asset and a fundamental prerequisite for monitoring economic progress, targeting infrastructure investment, and assessing climate vulnerability.

To address this, researchers of Heidelberg Univ...