Based on the composition and characteristics of pavement defect detection system, this paper briefly reviews the development process of the pavement defect detection system. On this basis, it analyzes the status quo of typical pavement defect detection systems at home and abroad, including the intelligent detection system of heavy pavement condition and lightweight pavement quality detection system, and describes the performance and some parameters of the detection system.Then emphatically introduces the evolution process of pavement defect detection technology and methods from traditional image processing to the intelligent pavement defect detection method based on machine learning and deep learning theory is explored. And, the research progress of intelligent pavement defect detection methods based on deep learning technology at home and abroad is comprehensively introduced, including pavement defect detection methods based on regional convolutional neural network, single multi-frame detector, YOLO target detection, Transformer detection model, etc.Finally, the development trend and application prospect of intelligent detection system for pavement defects are discussed from the aspects of multi-mode information fusion, dual lightweight design and robust intelligent algorithm.