Robotic traffic officers direct cars on Kinshasa’s roads

Solar-powered robotic traffic cops have been “hired” to regulate the disorderly traffic in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The robotic traffic officers have been deployed in Kinshasa to curb traffic incidents between motorists and pedestrians. Image: Brian Sokol

$The robotic traffic officers are fitted with cameras to report traffic infractions of Kinshasa's streets. Image: Brian Sokol$

The robotic traffic officers are fitted with cameras to report traffic infractions of Kinshasa's streets. Image: Brian Sokol

Thérèse Izay Kirongozi's company Women’s Tech designs and manufactures the robotic traffic cops. Image: Brian Sokol

Kinshasan's have reported that they are pleased with the robotic traffic force because they are less susceptible to bribes. Image: Brian Sokol.

The solar-powered robots play pre-recorded messages to pedestrians, letting them know when to stop and it’s safe to cross the road. Image: Brian Sokol.

PreviousPauseNext

Sponsored ContentPosted 30 Sep 15By Khumo SebamboAfrica Is Now• Design Thinking• Industrial DesignCreative Work / Design FrontiersComments

In the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, Kinshasa, robot traffic officers are commonplace. In the capital, where the roads are jam-packed, pedestrians are in danger and drivers defy the rules of the road. Authorities felt that they needed an innovative intervention to tackle this problem because traffic officers were falling short.

So they enlisted the skills of industrial engineer Thérèse Izay Kirongozi to develop humanoid robots that would regulate traffic in the country’s capital. The first generation robot, installed in 2013, was deployed to protect pedestrians crossing one of the main roads in Kinshasa – Boulevard Lumumba. This first robot, which towers over pedestrians at two-and-a-half meters tall can raise one robotic arm and bend the other, regulating traffic on one end and allowing passengers to cross on the other.

The first robot was also programmed to give pedestrians spoken commands, telling them to wait or cross the road.

Later that same year, authorities commissioned Kirongozi to build another robotic officer. This officer, powered by solar energy, is stationed in front of the Congolese parliament and raises his arms like his human counterpart would to stop traffic and allow cars to go.

This year, Congolese officials commissioned and installed an additional three robots: Tamuke, Mwaluke and Kisanga. The latest additions to the robotic force have a faster reaction time. “The electronic components work much better now than the ones from the first generation,” Kirongozi told AFP.

Tamuke, Mwaluke and Kisanga all have rotating chests and video cameras built into their eyes to send footage back to a central office.

Congolese officials opted for the robotic model because Kinshasans have reported that they mistrust human traffic officers. Since the robotic models have been deployed, officials have reported fewer incidents on the road and Kinshasans have reported that the traffic surrounding the robotic officers has been eased.

But other Kinshasans have criticised the robots for being an expensive intervention, with each robot costing the Congolese government $27 500.

The images in this article are courtesy of Brian Sokol, who shot these images as a part of a #FutureofCities, a social documentary initiative backed by Panos Pictures and Sony.