Smokey, Bandit, and the Future of Sidewalks in Irvine, CA

Burt Reynolds in Smokey and the Bandit, 1977

How two robots are helping the city map accessibility needs, with a nostalgic nod to a Burt Reynolds classic.

If you’re strolling around Irvine, California anytime soon, don’t be surprised if you bump into Smokey or Bandit. Not the mustachioed Burt Reynolds and his Pontiac Trans Am from the comedy classic Smokey and the Bandit, but rather two sleek little robots roaming the sidewalks with an important mission: making the city more accessible for people with disabilities.

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