AI-powered "RoboCops" take up traffic duties in Chinese cities

HEFEI, Jan. 17 (Xinhua) -- "For your safety, please ride bicycles in the non-motorized lane," a voice called out to a cyclist veering into the motor vehicle lane at a busy intersection in Wuhu City, east China's Anhui Province.

The warning, however, came not from a human traffic officer, but from a humanoid robot standing upright on a safety island.

Donning a police uniform, a reflective vest and a white cap, the robot officer -- identified by the badge number "Intelligent Police Unit R001" -- looks remarkably human from a distance. Up close, its metallic sleekness and futuristic demeanor have made it a local celebrity, with pedestrians frequently pausing to snap photos of the cyberpunk scene.

"It is a new colleague capable of assisting us effectively," said Jiang Zihao, a traffic police officer in Wuhu.

According to Jiang, "Intelligent Police Unit R001," an AI-enabled traffic policing robot, is integrated with the city's traffic signal system. It can execute standard traffic command gestures synchronized with changing lights.