Cities around the world are attracting more and more visitors every day. Of course, that means there are a lot of vehicles on the roads making congestion almost unbearable in some cities. While some places manage traffic well, others can use a little help. One city in Northern China is turning to artificial intelligence to make the traffic flow a little bit better.

This past week, three traffic robots started assisting human officers in Handan. The city in North China’s Hebei province has had some issues with increasing traffic over the past few years. The robots will help identify traffic risks, spot dangerous drivers and provide accident alerts.

Road Patrol Robot

credit: Pear Video/Handan Traffic Police

Road Patrol Robot

Wearing a yellow uniform and white hat, the road patrol robot looks like a typical traffic officer. Its job is to patrol the area to keep an eye on drivers. Using facial recognition, the patrol robot will identify and take pictures of any drivers who may not be properly following traffic laws. It will also spot jaywalkers and make sure pedestrians are safely crossing the busy roads.

Traffic Consultant Robot

credit: Pear Video/Handan Traffic Police

Traffic Consultant and Accident Alert Robots

The robot traffic consultant’s job is to provide information to both citizens and police. Posted at vehicle management stations, it will answer any questions a citizen might have and help guide where they need to go.

The robot consultant will also give officers a real-time traffic report along with alerting them to any potential security risks. Of course, the robot has access to a database that helps identify anyone who may be identified at “suspicious”.

The smallest of the three is the accident warning robot. Its job is to let drivers know when police are dealing with a traffic accident.

Accident Alert Robot credit:

Pear Video/Handan Traffic Police

Cloud Computing and Big Data

Onboard sensors, cameras and laser-based navigation help the robots navigate the area and avoid any obstacles that may get in their way. They are all connected to a centralized cloud which utilizes big data to help assess and manage all types of traffic situations.

The robots will be on duty 24/7 and if all goes well in Handan, officials expect to utilize the technology in other high traffic areas.

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