Flock Safety Pitched Turning Rideshare Cars into Mobile Surveillance
Flock Safety, a prominent automatic license plate reader company, previously proposed partnering with dashcam manufacturer Nexar to transform approximately 350,000 Uber, Lyft, and delivery vehicles into mobile surveillance units. Revealed through a public records request in Georgia, the initiative aimed to expand fixed pole camera coverage via rideshare routes. Flock stated the partnership was never implemented.
Key points
- Flock Safety, known for its nationwide network of fixed automatic license plate reader cameras, pitched a mobile surveillance expansion using rideshare and delivery vehicles.
- The proposal involved partnering with dashcam maker Nexar to equip driver vehicles with plate-scanning technology.
- A company presentation obtained via a public records request in Georgia revealed plans to integrate approximately 350,000 driver devices into the tracking network.
- Flock Safety informed reporters that the proposed arrangement with Nexar was ultimately never put into execution.
Flock Safety, a technology firm recognized for operating a nationwide network of automatic license plate readers mounted on fixed poles, previously formulated a strategy to drastically scale its surveillance reach through rideshare and delivery vehicles. According to internal presentation materials obtained by 404 Media via a public records request in Georgia, the company marketed a plan to convert hundreds of thousands of cars into mobile monitoring units.
The initiative centered around a proposed collaboration with Nexar, a manufacturer of dashcams marketed heavily toward commuters and rideshare operators. Documents shown to the Georgia attorney general's office detailed ambitions to leverage roughly 350,000 Uber, Lyft, and delivery driver devices to scan license plates along everyday transit routes, extending beyond traditional stationary checkpoints.
Despite the detailed marketing materials uncovered from the previous year, representatives for Flock Safety maintained that the Nexar partnership was never actually finalized or put into operation. The disclosure highlights the aggressive expansion strategies considered by automated surveillance providers seeking to leverage existing commercial transportation fleets for widespread data collection.
Sources
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