- 15 AI-powered robots begin patrol during May Day holiday
- Move marks shift from pilot use to coordinated smart traffic management
Hangzhou rolled out China’s first robot traffic police unit around West Lake on May 1, deploying a fleet of AI-powered machines to manage holiday crowds and ease pressure on human officers.
The unit, made up of 15 robots branded “Hangzhou Smart Patrol,” has begun regular duty across key routes including West Lake Avenue and Yan’an Road.
The launch signals a shift from isolated trials to coordinated deployment in urban traffic management.
The robots can detect violations such as non-motor vehicles stopping beyond designated lines, riders without helmets and pedestrians lingering in motor lanes, said Chen Sanchuan, an officer with the city’s traffic police.
Once identified, the machines issue real-time audio warnings, escalating cases to a command center if violation continues after repeated alerts.
Onboard intelligence
They also serve as on-the-ground navigation assistants. Visitors can initiate queries via an onboard interface, with the robots using voice-based AI models to provide directions based on real-time traffic and location data, combining spoken guidance with on-screen instructions.
Cao Lingzhi, an officer from the Hangzhou traffic police’s technology division, said the systems go beyond mimicking human gestures.
They integrate artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things and big data to perform multiple traffic management functions with extended operating hours, Cao added.
The unit has already been tested during major events, including the West Lake Half Marathon in March and the Hangzhou Women’s Half Marathon in April, where the robots worked alongside drones to support traffic control.
The Yangtzeer reported earlier that the robot officers are a result of collaborations between Hangzhou police and local tech company Zhejiang Supcon Information Co, Ltd.
