"E-bikes are prohibited. Please exit immediately!" When a resident in a Huli District residential complex tried to wheel a vehicle into the elevator, the camera instantly captured the entry, triggering a synchronized audio-visual alarm. A bilingual voice alert in Mandarin and Hokkien clearly warned the individual to remove the e-bike right away, while the integrated elevator control system simultaneously activated to halt operation until the vehicle was withdrawn, restoring normal service afterward. This round-the-clock electronic "gatekeeper" is the livelihood initiative recently championed by the Huli District Market Regulation Bureau to equip residential elevators with intelligent e-bike prevention systems.
The unauthorized entry of e-bikes into buildings for charging is a hidden "time bomb" lurking near residents. Previously, relying on posted notices and security guard persuasion only addressed symptoms, not root causes. Now, the smart prevention system adds an "electronic defense line" at the elevator entrance—whenever an e-bike enters the cabin, the system automatically identifies it, issues voice prompts, and blocks the doors from closing. Additionally, it can detect entrapment emergencies in the cabin, such as occupants lingering or abnormal movements, triggering immediate alerts, with future integration into the Xiamen Special Equipment Emergency Response Platform. Shifting from "human defense" to "technical defense" brings the safety threshold directly to the people's doorstep.
To ensure this livelihood initiative is executed effectively, the Huli District Market Regulation Bureau has promoted a coordinated, unified approach. Following Xiamen's rollout of an implementation plan for installing e-bike smart prevention systems in residential elevators, Huli quickly established a dedicated task force led by district officials, with its office stationed at the bureau. It collaborates with fire rescue, housing and construction, finance, and street-level departments, each fulfilling distinct roles in tandem. On funding, a clear cost-sharing mechanism was defined—"90% government subsidy, 10% owner contribution"—significantly easing the burden on residents and property management.
Notably, Huli's market regulators act as both "supervisors" and "technical advisors." They conduct on-site inspections to verify the accuracy of AI recognition, audio-visual alerts, and door-closing prevention functions, ensuring the systems are "installable, precise in detection, and effective in blocking." Concurrently, they engage with sub-districts and communities, driving each street to convene targeted tackling sessions. Through a model of "policy advocacy plus task allocation," bottlenecks such as funding procurement and on-site coordination have been resolved, accelerating the installation process. Citywide, 7,372 units have been installed, with 2,951 under construction, totaling 10,323 units. In Huli, 931 units are installed and 866 are being built; since the latest project advocacy meeting on July 17 alone, new signed letters of intent have reached 932 units, bringing the district's cumulative total to 2,382 units. The meeting covered all five sub-districts, four grassroots regulatory offices, and property managers from 86 residential complexes, fostering widespread momentum and steady progress.
"I used to worry about e-bikes catching fire in the elevator, but now with the smart system, I feel much more at ease," said resident Ms. Liu. As these intelligent devices come online one by one, residential complexes with the system installed have completely eliminated elevator entries by e-bikes, significantly boosting residents' sense of safety. A spokesperson for the Huli District Market Regulation Bureau stated that next steps include coordinating with the municipal special equipment inspection institute on spot checks, acceptance, and fund settlement, while steadily progressing with installations for remaining elevators, ensuring this smart "gatekeeper" persistently safeguards every resident's elevator travel.