Robot officers' squad takes to China's streets to control traffic

The streets of Hangzhou got a new traffic officer, but he is not a human. Instead, a humanoid robot.

According to Euro News, officers in traffic have unveiled a squad of 15 humanoid robots to man the road and keep traffic in check during the May holiday period in eastern China's city.

Videos show the robots were not just silent spectators; rather, they were actively directing vehicles and pedestrians at Hangzhou's key intersections.

Per officials, the move is a step to help traffic officers handle the surge in traffic on holidays.

Rolling out humanoid robots in Hangzhou comes as no surprise, given that the city is home to tech powerhouses, including AI companies like Deepseek.

NYC moves against armed police robots

In New York City, a city council member, Jennifer Gutiérrez, has introduced legislation called the 'Asimov Act'.

In the proposal, she pushed for a ban on deploying armed police robots to support the New York Police Department officers.

“At today’s Stated Meeting, I’m proud to have introduced my new bill – the Asimov Act – that bans the NYPD from using robots against our communities,” she said in a post on Facebook.

“With new forms of technology emerging every day, it’s increasingly important that we safeguard public safety and establish clear boundaries on their use by law enforcement."

The legislation attempt comes as police forces in the United States have been markedly flirting with the idea of deploying robotic technology to assist in work.