False Report of Shooting Police Vehicles in China Debunked
A false report has circulated about autonomous police vehicles in China, sparking confusion and misinformation. The story, shared on Facebook in September 2025, claimed that police cars in Tianjin could drive themselves and autonomously shoot, but no evidence supports these claims.
The misinformation originated from a translation error. The term 'firearm' was incorrectly used to translate a Chinese description that actually referred to a camera system. This error was first circulated by news agency AP via its partner KameraOne on August 11. The false report was later picked up by media outlets such as the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS) and tech magazine Chip.
The autonomous police vehicle in question is produced by the Shanghai-based company 'HiGuard'. The company lists the People's Armed Police and the Chinese army among its customers and partners. However, no shooting systems or weapons are visible on the vehicles shown in the false report. A police robot in Wenzhou, China, can fire tear gas, nets, or smoke grenades, but it's unclear if this happens autonomously. A video from HiGuard shows remote control and facial recognition capabilities, but no autonomous shooting features.
The title image of the FAS article is outdated and does not show the unmanned patrol car presented in Tianjin. HiGuard's website shows 'security robots' equipped with cylinders, but does not explain their use.
The false report about autonomous shooting police cars in Tianjin has been debunked. The story resulted from a translation error, and no evidence supports the claims of autonomous shooting capabilities. The public should be cautious when sharing information, especially when it comes from unverified sources.
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