‘RoboCop’ is real and he’s going viral by patrolling the streets in China

A police robot has started patrolling the streets of a province in China, not unlike the RoboCop envisioned in the Paul Verhoeven movie.

The 1987 RoboCop movie depicted a dystopian Detroit whose rising crime rates made way for a power-hungry corporation to privatize local law enforcement and install a robotic policeman on the force.

While the Shenzhen, Guangdong province in South China hasn’t entered a dystopian future, its police force has embraced the future in one key respect.

A humanoid robot, model PM01, now patrols the streets and assists officers with day-to-day enforcement tasks.

China’s RoboCop was built by a tech startup company

The Shenzhen-headquartered startup EngineAI deployed its PM01 model robot on December 4, 2024. PM01 is not as physically imposing as one would expect of a real RoboCop, given it stands 4 1/2ft tall and weighs less than 90 pounds.

According to the South China Morning Post, the compact police bot runs on an “advanced reinforcement learning algorithm,” so it can maneuver with natural walking movements and even perform front flips.

Other built-in tech like the LiDAR remote sensing system allows PM01 to competently navigate environments and respond to commands.

Footage of the robot engaged in police formations and greeting the public has gone viral on social media and YouTube.

At present, only the Shenzhen police department has the PM01 model supporting its officers.

However, a different police robot has joined the force in Lianyungang, Jiangsu province, reportedly proving its worth by playing a role in reuniting a toddler with their family. One such wheel-mounted helper, named Xiao An, even patroled the Nanjingnan Railway Station some weeks ago.

The robotics industry in Shenzhen has grown exponentially over the years, so the PM01 marks just another step forward. How else the technology may evolve in the years to come remains to be seen.