In Hangzhou, China's New Traffic Robots Issue Warnings, Not Arrests

At a busy intersection in Hangzhou, a 1.88-metre-tall robot stands watch. It has no gun, no power to arrest, and wheels instead of legs. But this machine, developed by Chinese technology firm SUPCON Information, can spot an e-bike rider without a helmet and issue a courteous warning. Its seven-jointed arms swing in sync with the traffic lights, mimicking the gestures of a traffic police officer.

The T2 robot, weighing 98 kg, is part of a pilot programme aimed at handing some of the most repetitive traffic-control duties to machines. It uses cameras, radar and onboard computing to identify violations such as riders without helmets, e-bikes carrying passengers, vehicles stopping over marked lines and pedestrians crossing against signals, said Cao Hui, head of SUPCON's intelligent unmanned systems innovation centre.

The traffic robots are part of a broader push by the Chinese industry to move machines from exhibition floors and showrooms into practical, everyday jobs. These robots can also answer questions about directions, parking and traffic rules. An emergency function connects users directly with local police.

Since May, SUPCON has deployed 15 robots in Hangzhou. The company claims they have issued more than 170,000 warnings and helped reduce cases of helmetless riding and vehicles crossing stop lines by over 40% each month. However, Hangzhou's traffic police did not respond to requests for comment, and Reuters could not independently verify these figures.

SUPCON says it has tested the machines for thousands of hours in tourist areas, school zones, business districts, rush-hour traffic and poor weather. While cameras and radar can be affected by strong sunlight, rain and temperature extremes, the company claims a violation-recognition accuracy of over 95%.

The aim, according to Cao, is to replace punishment after a violation with a timely reminder before behaviour becomes habitual. "It doesn't get tired," he said. "It can work steadily for long periods."

From 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., the robots operate autonomously, moving between pre-set positions at intersections without remote control. A central platform allows traffic-police teams to monitor and dispatch them. SUPCON says nearly 50 such robots are now operating across about eight cities in three Chinese provinces, with expectations of approaching 200 deployments by the end of the year.

Export potential exists, according to Chery-backed robotics company AiMOGA, which sees opportunities in overseas markets where traffic officers face harsh roadside conditions, such as high temperatures in the Middle East and persistent rainy seasons in Southeast Asia. However, AiMOGA executive Zhang Guibing noted that deploying these robots abroad would be more complicated than exporting a car. Police robots would need to integrate with local law-enforcement IT systems, obtain certifications, and comply with data-protection rules, particularly because they use cameras and other sensors.

While the traffic robot is still a pilot, it represents a growing trend of using artificial intelligence and automation to assist — not replace — human officers. The technology is evolving, but questions about surveillance, privacy and accountability remain as these machines become more common.