Making Transportation More Accessible With Technology

Before we get to that interview, though, we need to address the issue of flock cameras.

We will have an entire episode about flock cameras coming in the future, but we need to talk about this right now.

It is huge.

It's all over the news, and it's something that we talked about during our first season of the show when we talked to AT&T about putting cameras...

in intersections to increase safety.

But flock cameras are primarily an automated license plate reader and vehicle identification system.

And they're not conventional traffic safety cameras or speed cameras.

There's a distinction there.

Flock camera, it has become one of the most widespread ALPR networks in the US.

There's roughly, this is the one that is crazy.

There's 120,000 cameras deployed nationwide, according to some recent reporting.

The technology is now present in thousands of communities and growing numbers of cities.

So let's talk about what they do.

They read license plates.

They get the vehicle's make and model.

They can pick up the color and other distinguishing vehicle characteristics and the time and location.

And there is a traffic safety argument for Flock.

It can help solve crashes and hit and runs.

And it gives law enforcement valuable information on fatal crashes, hit and runs, like I said, serious injuries and crashes, and also can help out with keeping pedestrians and bicycle riders safe.

Or if they get hit, find out who hit them.

Brandon, what do you think of Flock cameras?

Yes, so there's obviously, with everything, right, there's a positive and there's a negative aspect.

And I do like the fact that in theory, right, these cameras are designed to help make roads, bicycles, every one of us safer.

I think the issue, though, comes in when you are dealing with all of this identity and this data at once and with the power that we've seen with AI and technology developing now.

How much of that data can be translated into potential invasion of privacy?

Before we get to that interview, though, we need to address the issue of flock cameras.

We will have an entire episode about flock cameras coming in the future, but we need to talk about this right now.

It is huge.

It's all over the news, and it's something that we talked about during our first season of the show when we talked to AT&T about putting cameras...

in intersections to increase safety.

But flock cameras are primarily an automated license plate reader and vehicle identification system.

And they're not conventional traffic safety cameras or speed cameras.

There's a distinction there.

Flock camera, it has become one of the most widespread ALPR networks in the US.

There's roughly, this is the one that is crazy.

There's 120,000 cameras deployed nationwide, according to some recent reporting.

The technology is now present in thousands of communities and growing numbers of cities.

So let's talk about what they do.

They read license plates.

They get the vehicle's make and model.

They can pick up the color and other distinguishing vehicle characteristics and the time and location.

And there is a traffic safety argument for Flock.

It can help solve crashes and hit and runs.

And it gives law enforcement valuable information on fatal crashes, hit and runs, like I said, serious injuries and crashes, and also can help out with keeping pedestrians and bicycle riders safe.

Or if they get hit, find out who hit them.

Brandon, what do you think of Flock cameras?

Yes, so there's obviously, with everything, right, there's a positive and there's a negative aspect.

And I do like the fact that in theory, right, these cameras are designed to help make roads, bicycles, every one of us safer.

I think the issue, though, comes in when you are dealing with all of this identity and this data at once and with the power that we've seen with AI and technology developing now.

How much of that data can be translated into potential invasion of privacy?