The fiasco of the New York subway surveillance robot: "I said it was a garbage can with wheels, but the wheels don't even work"

Afp New York

New York

Updated Friday, February 2, 2024-21:02

The New York subway has retired its controversial K-5 robot, after just over five months of patrolling service to ensure the safety of the busy Times Square station due to its

low efficiency

.

Apparently, his brief time in the force was characterized by frequent pauses to recharge his batteries, the need for human agents to accompany him and his inability to climb stairs, the

New York Times

reports this Friday .

"The

Knightscope K-5

has completed its pilot deployment in the New York subway network," a police spokesperson told AFP about the device, which was presented with great fanfare in September 2023.

Looking part smart car and part

Dalek

, the creatures from the 'Doctor Who' series, the device was equipped with several cameras and a help button for travelers in the city's busiest subway station, which is also an important tourist spot.

"I said it was a rubbish bin on wheels, but it looks like the wheels don't even work," says

Albert Fox Cahn

, executive director of anti-spy technology campaign group Surveillance Technology Oversight Project.

"With serious crime on the decline and the mayor ordering budget cuts across all city agencies,

why are we spending so much money on these gadgets

?" he asks.

New York Mayor

Eric Adams

has placed technology at the center of his policing strategy, enthusiastically extolling the virtues of drones, facial recognition cameras and robotics in the fight against crime.

In April 2023, city police reintroduced a

$74,000

robotic dog equipped with cameras, a two-way communication system and lights to assist in emergency situations.

Officers have also adopted Starchase, a GPS tracking system that allows police to attach a

tracker to fleeing vehicles

, eliminating the need for risky car chases through crowded New York streets.

"When crime was rising across the country, we were told policing was the solution. But now crime is plummeting across the country, including the cities that banned these dystopian devices. If

we don't have the money to keep libraries open

We certainly don't have the money to buy stupid robots either," says Cahn.

Adams recently referred to the decline in crime in the city, according to official statistics, and

attributed it in part to technology

.