Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, has created its own way of directing and controlling traffic. Eight-foot tall robots have replaced cops and traffic cameras. The two human-like machines have proven to be a huge success as well.
Congo is a site for some of the worst traffic in the world. Kinshasa needed a better way to make commuting faster and easier as well as reduce accidents with vehicles and pedestrians crossing the streets. The robots were designed and built by WITECH ONG, found only in Congo at the moment.
The giants stay alert and on duty 24 hours every single day. Each robot has green and red lights, and even talks to commuters, like a human would. They can also bend and lift their arms to let drivers when to stop and let pedestrians walk across the roads. The robots are able to twist around so that their cameras can see all angles of the street around them. These cameras are able to take pictures of traffic violators. The snapshots are then electronically sent over to a place where they can be stored for future reference when convicting.
The even more interesting part is that the robots are powered by solar energy. This means less money spent on replacement batteries when old ones run out. According to Inquirer.net, each robot costs about $15,000. The company may plan to sell their products to other places around the world that need it as well.
Many people interviewed by Inquirer all agree that the robots have produced very good results. Could this mean robots might soon be taking over the streets of America? Although reactions over in Kinshasa are all positive, there could be many problems that can come with these new mechanical species.
People feelings rebellious could easily vandalize or even destroy the robots, since they have no way of protection. Speeding cameras are broken all the time, which means people would have no problem doing the same to traffic robots. Destruction of such complex machinery could end up costing more than its worth.
Aside from this, officers working to direct traffic would lose their jobs. The last thing America needs is a decrease in employment, which could cause the poverty line to rise as well. As fast as technology advances in this day in age, our world is not quite ready for robots to take over just yet.