Police Robot Could Make Traffic Stops Safer For Everyone… and Creepier

Just talking about a concept like this almost makes us get creeped out a little bit. The thought of being under watch by a robotic police force is the stuff that sci-fi horror movies are made of. However, with the way the technology is evolving, it’s a future that we could see coming. Hopefully, we, as humans, can keep the robots under control and police ourselves efficiently. On the other hand, there certainly is some technology out there that could help improve the way policing is done.

While there are some robotics involved, a new contraption put together by the Stanford Research Institute isn’t exactly robotic policing. Instead, the machine will act as an extending arm from a police car to a person getting pulled over. Essentially, this device will provide a webcam conversation between the officer and the suspect. With this technology, everybody involved will be a lot safer. It’s not hard to see how it could help improve officer safety as they won’t have to approach potentially armed and dangerous suspects. On the other hand, it could also prevent any accidents where the suspect becomes a victim.

By following along below, we get to dive into this new method of policing that could be incredibly useful. The idea is actually quite genius has the ability to not only allow officers and drivers to chat with one another but also provide a variety of other functions. For example, the machine is able to verify documents like insurance cards or print out tickets. With a device like this, police will only have to head into a dangerous situation if they absolutely have to.

Sure, there might be a few speed bumps in the road or situations where the device couldn’t be used. The first thing that comes to mind is an officer’s duty to use the sense of smell to detect a potential DUI. That might be something to look into down the road.

However, a device like this does look like a potential step in the right direction.