China's humanoid robot assists traffic police at Hangzhou Marathon

World Nov 03, 2026

At this year's Hangzhou Marathon, runners weren't the only ones turning heads; a humanoid robot teamed up with traffic police to help manage the massive event.

The robot directed crowds and kept intersections running smoothly, showing off China's push to bring more robotic tech into everyday public services.

Hangxing No.2 tested among 36,000 runners

Developed by DEEP Robotics and local authorities, the 178-centimeter-tall Hangxing No.2 uses lidar and depth cameras for autonomous patrols and safety alerts.

With 36,000 runners in the race, it was a real-world test for what these bots can do.

As DEEP Robotics's Meng Yuan put it, events like this are perfect for robots to handle routine tasks so human officers can focus on bigger challenges.