Seongnam City Deploys AI Autonomous Patrol Robots to Safeguard Urban Safety

Seongnam City Pilots AI Patrol Robot "Neubie"
The Era of "Robot Patrols" Begins at Seohyeon and Pangyo Stations

Seongnam City in Gyeonggi Province (Mayor: Shin Sangjin) is ushering in the era of "robot patrols" in urban areas by piloting patrol robots that serve as "mobile CCTV" in locations with high foot traffic.

Appearance of the smart patrol robot model 'Newbee'. Provided by Seongnam City

Starting this month, the city has deployed one patrol robot, "Neubie," at each of four locations: Seohyeon Station Plaza, Pangyo Station Plaza, Sanghee Park in Yatap-dong, and Yuldong Park, conducting real-world testing. This phase, which will continue until the end of the year, is the final stage of technical stability verification ahead of full-scale operation in 2026. While previous demonstrations have taken place in relatively open spaces like parks, testing in complex urban commercial districts is considered a greater technical challenge.

Notably, the robot is equipped with an "automatic avoidance function" that allows it to recognize human movement and autonomously adjust its speed and route. This enables the robot to move naturally through its surroundings without impeding pedestrian traffic.

In May, Seongnam City formed a consortium with the Bundang Police Station and Neubility Co., Ltd. and was selected as the final winner of the "2025 Service Robot Demonstration Project" organized by the Korea Institute for Robot Industry Advancement under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Since then, the city has systematically prepared for the introduction of patrol robots and the design of patrol zones, investing 120 million KRW each from national and municipal funds, for a total of 240 million KRW.

To ensure the project's success, responsibilities have been divided among the participating organizations. Seongnam City oversees the overall project and develops on-site patrol scenarios; Neubility Co., Ltd. is responsible for robot manufacturing, technical support, and operation; and Bundang Police Station handles crime prevention analysis and emergency response. This collaboration has established a cooperative framework across technology, law enforcement, and administration.

The city plans to thoroughly verify the robots' autonomous driving stability, object recognition accuracy, and the field suitability of patrol scenarios. Patrol technology will be further advanced using real urban data, including complex pedestrian flows, nighttime lighting conditions, and various obstacles. Through this, the city aims to provide highly sophisticated crime prevention services that citizens can tangibly experience during the three-year official operation period starting in 2026.

A Seongnam City official stated, "AI-powered autonomous smart patrol robots have a strong visual crime deterrent effect simply by moving around on their own," adding, "We will strengthen Seongnam's status as a 'special city of the Fourth Industrial Revolution' by filling security gaps in CCTV blind spots and maximizing the effects of CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design), thereby protecting citizens' safety with advanced technology."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.