Your Car Has a Fingerprint, and 80,000 AI Cameras Are Reading It

Flock Safety has planted 80,000 cameras across 49 states. They’re supposed to read license plates. But the company’s technology goes much further, building what it calls a “Vehicle Fingerprint” that can identify your car even if you’ve removed the plates entirely.

According to a product presentation obtained by The News & Observer, Flock’s cameras don’t just snap plates. They also log a car’s make, body style, bumper stickers, roof racks, and any distinctive decals. The system uses artificial intelligence to run “convoy analysis,” flagging vehicles that regularly travel together so police can spot potential crime rings. Flock gave this pitch to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, asking for taxpayer dollars to expand its network.

But the problems don’t stop with surveillance creep. Police officers across the country can access Flock’s private national database to pull up live feeds and search for any vehicle, anywhere. Recent reports show that more than a dozen officers have illegally used the system to stalk ex-partners and even their ex’s parents. Other cases include law enforcement using Flock to track people seeking out-of-state abortions and turning travel data over to immigration enforcement.

Flock’s cameras are always on, always recording, and always building a profile of every car that passes. Unless someone throws a trash bag over the lens—which has happened—there’s not much you can do to hide. Your best bet? Drive a beige Camry with zero bumper stickers. At least then you’ll blend in with the millions of other boring cars on the road.