The First Autonomous Patrol Car in the U.S. Hits the Streets of Miami

The Policing Lab, in collaboration with the sheriff of Miami-Dade County, introduced the Police Unmanned Ground Patrol Partner — or simply PUG. It has already been called the first fully autonomous patrol vehicle in the country.

While many technical details remain undisclosed, it is known that the PUG is based on the Ford Police Interceptor Utility and is equipped with an autonomous driving system developed by Perrone Robotics. This allows the vehicle to patrol high-crime neighborhoods on its own while also serving as a visible deterrent.

More importantly, PUG functions as a mobile surveillance system. It is equipped with multiple cameras, a thermal imager, a license plate recognition system, and even a drone launcher. All of this enables real-time data transmission and immediate alerts — for instance, when a stolen vehicle is detected. In such cases, the system can dispatch officers to the scene.

The PUG pilot program will last one year. Its goals are to improve police response times, strengthen preventive measures, enhance officer safety, and build public trust in law enforcement.

Whether PUG becomes a real breakthrough or remains just a well-executed experiment — time will tell.