Xiong’an, a newly built city about 100 km from Beijing, is using an AI-based traffic system that changes signals in response to road conditions rather than following fixed cycles. More than 20,000 sensors track traffic, while software adjusts lights in milliseconds to help keep vehicles moving and reduce unnecessary stops. The system also monitors road conditions and equipment faults, and can issue maintenance instructions ahead of potential problems.
Some traffic-light poles house drones that launch to patrol set routes of more than 1 km. Flights last around five minutes before the drones return to their enclosures. They can identify traffic and parking violations, check green spaces and water levels, and flag faults or possible flooding. Drones in the city are also used to carry packages weighing up to 5 kg between buildings.
Construction began in 2017, bringing three rural counties in Hebei together in a new urban area intended to ease pressure on Beijing. Xiong’an now has more than 5,300 buildings across about 215 square kilometres of developed land, including offices, homes, schools and health facilities. The longer-term population goal is five million by 2035, but official figures put the population at about 1.41 million in March 2026. More than 400 public-administration offices and 600 high-tech companies have moved in, yet attracting permanent residents remains a challenge. The project has received more than €107 billion in investment.