China Puts Robocops on Traffic Duty

China has begun deploying robotic traffic officers at busy intersections in the eastern city of Hangzhou, using machines to perform some of the repetitive tasks normally handled by police officers.

The 1.88-metre-tall, 98-kilogram robot, developed by local technology company SUPCON Information, can identify several traffic violations, including helmetless e-bike riding, carrying passengers on e-bikes, vehicles stopping beyond marked lines and pedestrians crossing against traffic signals.

Equipped with cameras, radar and onboard computing systems, the robot can issue warnings to traffic violators and move its seven-jointed arms in coordination with traffic lights, reproducing standard hand signals used by traffic police.

The machines can also answer questions about directions, parking and traffic regulations. An emergency function allows users to contact local police.

SUPCON has deployed 15 robots in Hangzhou since May. The company says the machines have issued more than 170,000 warnings and contributed to a reduction of more than 40% in monthly cases of helmetless riding and vehicles crossing stop lines. Reuters could not independently verify the figures, and Hangzhou traffic police did not respond to a request for comment.

The deployment is part of a broader effort in China to move robotics technology beyond demonstrations and entertainment and into practical public-service roles.

According to Cao Hui, head of SUPCON’s intelligent unmanned systems innovation centre, the robots have been tested for thousands of hours in tourist areas, school zones, business districts, rush-hour traffic and adverse weather conditions.

The company says its violation-recognition accuracy exceeds 95%, although strong sunlight, rain and extreme temperatures can still affect cameras and radar.

Unlike the fictional RoboCop from the 1987 Hollywood film, the Chinese machines have no weapons and no authority to make arrests. Instead, their main purpose is to provide timely warnings and help prevent traffic violations from becoming habitual.

“It doesn’t get tired,” Cao said. “It can work steadily for long periods.”

The robots operate autonomously from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., moving between pre-set positions at intersections without remote control. Traffic police can monitor and dispatch them through a central management platform.

SUPCON says nearly 50 of its traffic robots are now operating across about eight cities in three Chinese provinces, with deployments expected to approach 200 by the end of the year.

The technology could also have potential overseas. Chery-backed robotics company AiMOGA sees opportunities for police robots in countries where traffic officers work in difficult roadside conditions, including the extreme heat of the Middle East and the prolonged rainy seasons of Southeast Asia.

However, AiMOGA executive Zhang Guibing said exporting police robots would be more complicated than exporting vehicles. The machines would need to integrate with local law-enforcement information systems, obtain regulatory certifications and comply with data-protection requirements because of their use of cameras and other sensors.