There’s a new traffic officer operating in eastern China – but it carries no weapon, lacks the power to make arrests, and rolls on wheels.Standing 6ft 2in tall, the ‘robo-cop’ is currently deployed at a busy intersection in Hangzhou.The 217lb T2 robot was built by local technology firm SUPCON Information as part of a pilot scheme to relieve police officers of repetitive traffic-control duties. Using cameras, radar and onboard computing, it spots traffic violations including helmetless e-bike riders and pedestrians crossing against signals.Cao Hui, head of SUPCON's intelligent unmanned systems innovation centre, said that the machine also detects e-bikes carrying extra passengers and vehicles stopping over marked lines. It delivers polite verbal warnings and uses seven-jointed mechanical arms to perform standard traffic gestures synchronised with traffic lights.People walk past a humanoid robot traffic police officer on duty in Hangzhou (Reuters)Beyond controlling traffic, the robot answers queries regarding directions, parking and regulations, with an emergency feature connecting users to local police. The trial highlights a wider push by China’s robot industry to move machines from showroom displays into functional roles.SUPCON has deployed 15 robots in Hangzhou since May. The company says it has issued more than 170,000 warnings and helped reduce monthly cases of helmetless riding and vehicles crossing stop lines by more than 40 per cent.Hangzhou's traffic police did not respond to a request for comment, and Reuters could not independently verify the figures.‘Robocops’ can work all in all conditionsThe company has tested the machines for thousands of hours in tourist areas, school zones, business districts, rush-hour traffic and poor weather, Mr Cao said.People interact with the robot traffic officer's touch screen (Reuters)Cameras and radar can still be affected by strong sunlight, rain and temperature extremes, though SUPCON says its violation-recognition accuracy exceeds 95 per cent.The aim, Mr Cao said, is to replace punishment after a violation with a timely reminder before behaviour becomes habitual."It doesn't get tired," he said of the robot. "It can work steadily for long periods."He said that the robots operate autonomously from 7am to 6pm, moving between pre-set positions at intersections without remote control. A central platform allows traffic-police teams to monitor and dispatch them.SUPCON says that nearly 50 such robots are operating across about eight cities in three Chinese provinces, and it expects deployments to approach 200 by year-end.Potential for robocops overseasChery-backed robotics company AiMOGA sees potential for police robots in overseas markets where traffic officers face punishing roadside conditions, citing high temperatures in the Middle East and persistent rainy seasons in Southeast Asia.But AiMOGA executive Zhang Guibing said that deploying them abroad would be more complicated than exporting a car.Police robots would need to fit local law-enforcement IT systems, obtain certifications and comply with data-protection rules, Mr Zhang said, particularly because they use cameras and other sensors.