would detect all of those things. >> reporter: after just a few hours of driving around, you have piles of data to process, all to answer the question exactly how much work has to be done. >> we also get the image of the pavement. >> reporter: researcher assistant salar shahini shamsabadi showed us the results of a survey done last november in beverly, city just north of boston. using google maps, they color code each street based on its damage, pointing out which ones require immediate attention by analyzing the road's composition, the system can even calculate estimated cost of repair for a city. professor ming wang leads the team. how much could they actually save by using this problem? >> for inspection alone, you can cut down about 50% of your cost. >> reporter: so half the cost and about 50 times less time to do it. >> yes. >> reporter: time that can then be used to repatriate roads and smooth out the ride ahead. in boston, eric fisher, for cbs news. >> axelrod: and we'll be right back. back. when diet and exercise aren't enough, adding crestor lowers bad cholesterol