Chinese version of AirBnb planning facial recognition locks

2018-12-27 10

CHENGDU, CHINA — Chinese home-sharing company Xiaozhu, plans to install door locks equipped with facial recognition in Chengdu, China.

The company said it will install the smart locks in 80 percent of its listings within the city. The smart locks will scan the face of tenants to verify their identity. Xiaozhu also plans to add devices such as smoke detectors, gas alarms and burglar alarms to more apartments, according to the South China Morning Post.

This comes as the Chinese government is looking to tighten controls and enhance security in home sharing platforms. The country's home sharing industry is worth 14.5 billion yuan or US$ 2.1 billion, according to China's State Information Center.