A traffic management robot is on duty during a marathon event held in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province this year. (Photo: Shen Jingyu)

During the evening rush hour at the intersection of Tiyuchang Road and Yan'an Road, Gongshu district, Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province, Chen Sanchuan, deputy head of the Wulin traffic police squadron under the Gongshu brigade of the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau's traffic management detachment, directed traffic on one side of the crossing, with his "new colleague" coordinating operations seamlessly on the opposite side.

This robot is part of Hangzhou's first batch of intelligent traffic management units. Standing 1.88 meters tall, it is modeled after the official uniform image of Hangzhou traffic police officers. It wears a black police cap, is outfitted with a fluorescent yellow-green reflective vest, and moves on a four-wheel mobile chassis, which gives it a distinctly high-tech look.

So what exactly can a traffic management robot do?

By tapping the "Talk to Me" option on the robot's touchscreen, pedestrians can initiate a conversation.

"How do I get to West Lake Cultural Square?"

"You can take Metro Line 1 or Line 3 from Wulin Square Station. If you tell me your specific destination, I can provide a more detailed route."

According to Chen, the robot is powered by a large language model for voice interaction. It can quickly understand users' requests and combine real-time traffic conditions with location data to recommend optimal routes. Guidance is delivered through both spoken responses and text-and-image displays on its screen, making it a useful assistant for residents and tourists alike.

As Chen spoke, the robot suddenly issued a clear but gentle reminder:

"The gentleman in black, your vehicle has gone past the stop line. Please reverse back behind the line. Thank you for your cooperation." The rider immediately adjusted their position.

A tourist asks a traffic management robot for directions at the West Lake Scenic Area in Hangzhou, east China's Zhejiang province this year. (Photo/Zhou Hanyi)

This automated law enforcement reminder is one of the robot's core capabilities. Powered by high-performance visual recognition algorithms, it delivers round-the-clock multi-target intelligent monitoring at intersections, automatically detecting traffic violations including non-motor vehicle riders stopping over the stop line and riding without helmets.

If the violator fails to rectify the infraction after three reminders, the system will archive relevant violation clues and push them to an early warning center under the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau's traffic management detachment.

The robot then rolled steadily toward the center of the intersection on its four-wheel platform. Through millisecond-level synchronization with traffic signals and an embedded library of traffic-control gestures that complies with Ministry of Public Security standards, it can accurately perform eight categories of traffic-directing motions, including signals for proceeding straight, stopping, and turning left. Every gesture is perfectly synchronized with the traffic lights.

In Chen's view, having a robotic colleague on duty has made daily traffic management noticeably easier.

"Our new partner can remain on duty steadily for long periods of time, taking over a large amount of routine work," he said. "That allows police officers to focus more on handling accidents and responding to emergencies," he told People's Daily.

Chen Qihang, an IT officer with the traffic management detachment of the Hangzhou Public Security Bureau and a key member of the robot development team, said the R&D work began last June.

The team conducted comprehensive field studies at 28 representative intersections across the city, collecting more than 1,200 hours of real-world traffic data. Following four rounds of major technological upgrades, the team ultimately finalized a design that met operational requirements.

On May 1 this year, the first squad of 15 traffic management robots was officially deployed as a dedicated unit, taking up duty at key intersections around the West Lake Scenic Area and Hangzhou's major commercial districts.

Since then, the robots have delivered impressive results. They have accumulated 647.7 hours of operational service, issued more than 25,000 traffic violation warnings, and provided public consultation services over 2,000 times. During active duty periods, they have averaged one reminder every one minute and 43 seconds.