There are few processes in life quite as time-consuming and tedious as driving in and out of the airport — yes, even at Changi. At the departure and arrival pick-up points, traffic jams are common as cars idle for lengthy periods of time and park where they are not supposed to.
Drivers honk. Airport staff get cranky. Stress levels rise.
But hey, a robot’s here to help with all that. A company called Certis, which provides security services at Changi Airport, has designed one to oversee the traffic flow at Changi Airport.
Robocops in airports aren’t new — countries like Canada, the UAE and China have been experimenting with them in recent years, to varying levels of success. The New York Post, for instance, reported last year that security robots in NYC’s LaGuardia Airport were “giving women the creeps.”
As for the ones we’ll be running into closer to home? They’ll be one-meter-tall, orange and black, and emblazoned with the words “Traffic Enforcement in Progress.” If they find cars parked in an unauthorized area, they’ll zoom up to them and flash the words “No Parking” in the drivers’ faces.
If the driver fails to maneuver his or her vehicle out of the unauthorized spot, then a photo of the vehicle will be taken and recorded.
The Straits Times noted that the “Robocop” is one of many initiatives Changi Airport has been rolling out in the last few years across all operations — from passenger check-in to baggage and cargo handling, as well as cleaning services — to reduce the reliance on manpower.
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