Watch your step, Nanjingers! Our city has become first in China to roll out the ultimate in street surveillance; a monitoring system that gives warnings to traffic-law violators, everyone from jaywalking pedestrians to e-bike riders not wearing a helmet.
Making its recent debut in Jianye District on the streets around the Nanjing International Youth Culture Centre, the 5G-powered system’s impressive capabilities are well demonstrated in a promotional video published yesterday by the Yangtze Evening News.
The video was made by Future City (Jiangsu Future Urban Public Space Development and Operation) together with Nanjing Ludeng (Nanjing Urban Management Bureau Street Lamp Division).
Therein, a speaking street lamp (we kid you not) says, “For your safety, please don’t run the red light”. The device is talking to a young fella, Xiao Wang, who appears in the video playing the part of a traffic law violator. Xiao Wang, who had taken a few steps on the pedestrian crossing against the red “do not walk” light, made a hasty retreat. But it was too late; evidence of his offence had already been captured and displayed on the street lamp’s monitor for all around to see.
In another scene, Xiao Wang jaywalks across the street not far from a perfectly useable pedestrian crossing. Again, he’s picked up the nearby street lamp and admonished, while his violating appears on a monitor accompanied by a cartoon character and the Chinese words,”请勿乱穿马路”; “Please don’t jaywalk”.
Now a seasoned criminal, Xiao Wang next takes to two wheels, riding his e-bike not where he is supposed to, in the lane dedicated to pushbikes, bikes and mopeds, but on the main road that is reserved for motor vehicles only. One more time, the overly-polite street lamp nabs him.
Thoroughly busted, Xiao Wang next figures he might be able to evade capture in a car, but makes the mistake of parking in a yellow box. Another no no, and another of the 17 street lamps that comprise the pilot project make his illegal behaviour known to all.
The lamps that are the first such 5G-application scenario in the country have been deployed in Nanjing along Jinshahe Xi Jie near Miaomiao Jie and Leshan Lu.
While in the long term it is certain that the system will be rolled out in other parts of the city, and will have a very positive impact on road safety for pedestrians, the short term is not so rosy. Descending on Nanjing’s Youth Olympic area for the sheer fun of competing for the most warnings is sure to be a draw too irresistible for many a local prankster.
