- Authorities unveiled five AI-powered policing tools and a 15-robot traffic unit
- Push reflects rising demand for automation amid population growth and evolving crime
Police in Hangzhou rolled out a suite of AI-driven systems and a robot traffic unit, underscoring a broader shift toward technology-led policing as urban pressures mount.
At a citywide public security technology event on April 16, authorities introduced five new AI-powered policing applications alongside Zhejiang’s first traffic management robot squad, composed of 15 machines now set for deployment at major intersections.
The newly released systems span surveillance, patrol and enforcement, including a policing large model, an advanced vision-based monitoring platform, a smart patrol vehicle system, a machine coordination platform for unmanned air-ground patrols, and a drone interception system.
The vision platform pushes computing power to front-end cameras, allowing real-time detection of abnormal behavior and security risks without relying heavily on centralized processing, reducing latency and infrastructure costs.
Meanwhile, the drone interception system enables unmanned devices to capture unauthorized drones using net deployment, offering a safer alternative to manual interception.
The robot traffic unit, already tested during large-scale events such as the West Lake Half Marathon, is designed to assist human officers by directing traffic and coordinating with aerial systems.
Officials plan to expand its application across key urban junctions in coming months.
The rollout comes as Hangzhou faces growing strain on public security resources. The city’s registered population has surged past 8.8 million, while vehicle ownership exceeded 5 million.
Large-scale events are also increasing, with more than 6,000 held in 2025 alone, stretching police resources and manpower in Hangzhou.
At the same time, law enforcement is confronting more sophisticated threats, including telecom fraud, AI-generated impersonation and unauthorized drone activity.
Authorities say the new systems are intended to shift policing from labor-intensive approaches toward data-driven operations supported by automation and real-time analysis.
