"Did It Get Drunk on Electricity?" Police Robot Smashes 20 Flowerpots and Flees the Scene

China Deploys Spherical Police Robots for Real Patrols
Robotaxi Accidents in the U.S. Spark Controversy Over Collisions and Safety

The incident of a 'police robot', deployed to ensure neighborhood safety, accidentally breaking dozens of flowerpots while on patrol has become a hot topic online. Following the accident, photos circulated of the robot standing next to the police safety booth, accompanied by witty jokes such as "It was arrested on the spot and sent to solitary confinement."

According to the police on September 30, on the afternoon of September 28, the AI autonomous patrol robot 'Goyang Polibot' collided with a folding table holding flowerpots in the plaza outside Hwajeong Station in Deokyang-gu, Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.

At that time, it was determined that Polibot failed to properly recognize the lower part of the table as an obstacle and collided with it. Due to this impact, about 20 flowerpots placed on the table fell to the floor and broke. SNS

It was determined that Polibot failed to properly recognize the lower part of the table as an obstacle and collided with it. Due to this impact, about 20 flowerpots placed on the table fell to the floor and broke. The flowerpots and the table were items being used for a Goyang city event promoting the consumption of flowers and agricultural products. The police plan to compensate for the damaged flowerpots through insurance and, together with the robotics company, will work to improve the autonomous driving system.

The accident scene photographs quickly spread on social media, attracting unexpected attention. The post's author said, "Does everyone know about the unmanned police officer?" and humorously described the situation by writing that Polibot "struck the flowerpots and tried to escape, but was captured at the scene." Referring to the photo of Polibot standing next to the police safety booth after the accident, they added, "It was arrested on the spot and put into solitary confinement." Netizens responded with jokes such as, "Did the police get into a traffic accident with flowerpots?", "Did it eat too much electricity and become drunk?", and "If the police cause an accident, who arrests them?"

The Polibot shown in the photo is an AI autonomous patrol robot actually introduced by the Goyang Police Station for crime prevention. Since February, it has been deployed in high-security-demand areas such as Hwajeong Station and Dongsankkotmaji Park. It autonomously moves within designated zones, recording video footage that is linked to the Goyang Police Station's 112 Situation Room. Its main function is to patrol blind spots that stationary CCTV cannot easily monitor.

This incident ended as a minor mishap with no human injuries, but as countries around the world accelerate the adoption of autonomous technology in policing and traffic operations, issues concerning robots' ability to accurately assess unexpected situations are being increasingly highlighted. In China, even more advanced forms of 'robot police' are already being tested.

A prominent example is the spherical patrol robot 'RT-G', developed by a Chinese robotics company. RT-G, designed like a ball, sparked global interest when it was revealed patrolling the city center in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, alongside special police officers. According to Hangzhou officials, this robot was developed with patrol, detection, and rescue capabilities in mind and uses Level 4 autonomous driving technology, which enables it to traverse rough terrain and obstacles. It reportedly weighs around 160 kilograms and can reach a top speed of 35 kilometers per hour.

In downtown Chicago, the United States, a series of accidents occurred where autonomous delivery robots repeatedly collided with road structures and pedestrians, sparking growing debates about the overall safety of the related industry and the need for regulations. CBS CHICAGO

Judgment errors in autonomous driving technology have also repeatedly caused controversy in the robot taxi sector. In May 2024, a vehicle from Waymo, Alphabet's autonomous driving company, collided with a wooden utility pole in an alleyway while slowing to a stop on the shoulder in Phoenix, Arizona, United States. There were no passengers or pedestrians and no injuries occurred, but according to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Waymo subsequently updated its software and mapping information to enable its autonomous driving system to more accurately recognize fixed objects similar to utility poles.

As a result of this accident, Waymo conducted a recall affecting 672 autonomous vehicles equipped with the system at that time. The NHTSA documents indicated that the autonomous system's obstacle avoidance capabilities fell short under certain conditions, which could increase the risk of collisions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.