Leonardo SignalTrace links phones to license plates for tracking
TL;DR. Leonardo's SignalTrace system now connects device signals like Bluetooth to license plate readers, enabling more extensive tracking of individuals' movements. - The system associates consumer devices with vehicle records and time-stamped locations, even without knowing a specific plate number. - Critics argue this redefines 'identification,' allowing police to infer identities through device-vehicle associations. - SignalTrace is marketed and tested, with installations in Oxon Hill, Maryland, and a New York state contract.
- SignalTrace uses Bluetooth and radio frequency signals to create 'electronic signatures' of devices.
- These signatures are linked with automatic license plate reader data, associating devices with vehicles.
- The technology allows investigators to track movements and associations even if direct identity is not immediately known.
- SignalTrace is operational in some areas, raising concerns about privacy and the definition of personal identification.
Sources
- New surveillance tech links your phone to your license plate — arstechnica.com