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China’s Hubei province has devised an ingenious solution to stop pedestrians from jaywalking. Anyone who is about to step on the road when the signal is red gets sprayed by multiple mist canons.

But this system doesn’t stop there. It comes with motions sensors, facial recognition, laser beams and warnings. The motion sensor will detect if a pedestrian has stepped too close to the road when they shouldn’t, and will activate the sprays. The facial recognition feature will try to identify the offender so that they can be fined.

Wan Xinqiang, deputy head of publicity for the Daye public security bureau, told The Straists Times, “If it senses someone running a red light, it will spray water vapour and warn pedestrians by voice and laser beams”.

Privacy? Intrusive punishment? What are those?