China replaces traffic police with robocops: Wheeled robot warns helmetless riders and monitors traffic

China’s version of a "Robocop" may look futuristic, but it has none of the weapons or arrest powers of the cyborg from the 1987 movie. Instead of walking like Hollywood’s mechanical law enforcer, the machine moves on wheels and is being tested in Hangzhou to take on some repetitive traffic-control duties.

At a busy intersection in the eastern Chinese city, the 1.88-metre, 98-kg robot can identify helmetless e-bike riders, issue warnings and move its mechanical arms in time with traffic signals.

Reuters reported on the pilot, citing SUPCON Information, the local technology company that developed the T2 robot.



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How China’s traffic robot works

The T2 uses cameras, radar and onboard computing to detect several traffic violations, according to Cao Hui, head of SUPCON’s intelligent unmanned systems innovation centre, who spoke to Reuters.

The robot can identify riders without helmets, e-bikes carrying passengers, vehicles stopping beyond marked lines and pedestrians crossing against traffic signals.

It can also respond to questions about directions, parking and traffic rules. An emergency function allows users to connect with local police, while its seven-jointed arms reproduce standard gestures used by traffic officers in coordination with traffic lights, Cao said.

SUPCON has deployed 15 such robots in Hangzhou since May. The company says they have issued more than 170,000 warnings and helped lower monthly cases of helmetless riding and vehicles crossing stop lines by more than 40%.

Hangzhou traffic police did not respond to a request for comment, and Reuters could not independently verify those figures.

Robots designed to work for long hours

The traffic robots are part of a wider push in China to move robots from exhibitions and promotional settings into practical roles.

Cao told Reuters that SUPCON had tested the machines for thousands of hours in tourist destinations, school zones, business areas, rush-hour traffic and difficult weather conditions.

The systems can still be affected by strong sunlight, rain and extreme temperatures. SUPCON, however, says its violation-detection accuracy is above 95%.

Cao said the purpose was not simply to punish traffic offenders but to provide timely reminders before undesirable behaviour becomes habitual.

"It doesn't get tired," he said. "It can work steadily for long periods."

According to Cao, the robots can operate independently from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., moving between designated positions at intersections without remote control. Traffic police teams can monitor and dispatch them through a central platform.

SUPCON said close to 50 of the robots are currently operating in about eight cities across three Chinese provinces, with deployments expected to reach nearly 200 by the end of the year.

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Overseas use could face hurdles

The technology could eventually find applications in overseas markets where traffic officers work in difficult roadside environments.

Chery-backed robotics company AiMOGA sees potential in regions such as the Middle East, where officers face high temperatures, and Southeast Asia, where rainy seasons can be prolonged.

However, AiMOGA executive Zhang Guibing told Reuters that deploying police robots internationally would be more complicated than exporting a vehicle.

The machines would need to integrate with local law-enforcement information technology systems, secure required certifications and meet data-protection regulations, Zhang said. Those requirements could be especially significant because the robots rely on cameras and other sensors.