"It Instantly Identifies People With Weapons"...Advanced Patrol Cars To Be Deployed Across Seoul

Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to Deploy Vehicles in Southwestern Seoul This Spring
Real-Time Identification of Armed Individuals Using Zoom and AI

The nation's first "advanced patrol car" equipped with artificial intelligence (AI) cameras and drones will be deployed in the southwestern area of Seoul as early as April.

Model of a mobile patrol vehicle equipped with AI and drones. Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, Yonhap News

According to Yonhap News on the 22nd, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency plans to deploy the country's first "AI and drone patrol car" to the 2nd Mobile Patrol Unit and operate it starting this spring. The 2nd Mobile Patrol Unit currently has jurisdiction over the southwestern districts, including Gangseo, Yangcheon, Guro, Yeongdeungpo, Geumcheon, and Dongjak. After functional upgrades and certification procedures, the vehicle is expected to be deployed as early as April.

This patrol car serves as a "mobile control center" that can, among other things, use AI to identify in real time people carrying knives or other weapons, thereby preemptively blocking crimes driven by abnormal motives.

The reason for prioritizing the deployment of this unique advanced vehicle in the southwestern part of Seoul is the local demand for public safety, including knife crimes in public places. From January to October last year, there were a total of 237 crimes involving the possession or use of bladed weapons in public places. Among them, the crime incidence was particularly high in the southwestern area, with 23 cases in Yeongdeungpo District, 15 in Guro District, 14 each in Songpa and Jungnang Districts, 13 in Geumcheon District, and 12 in Gangseo District.

The AI and drone patrol car has overwhelming detection capabilities. A total of three AI cameras are installed on the upper front and on both sides of the vehicle. Through these, it can immediately detect not only crowd density and fire smoke, but also whether individuals are carrying knives or other weapons. By entering specific conditions such as "a person with dyed hair" or "a person carrying a bag," it can also locate objects upon user request and assess the situation.

A drone is mounted on the top of the vehicle, and this drone is equipped with 90x zoom and thermal imaging capabilities. It is also fitted with AI functions that can identify 77 types of objects, including people and vehicles.

A police official described the project as "a test bed to verify the effectiveness of the AI and drone patrol car," adding, "We expect it will enable more precise detection and prevention of various dangerous situations, including not only crimes driven by abnormal motives but also fires and crowd congestion."