A new ‘neighbourhood watch’ sensor device that can track traffic on local streets has been unveiled.
Flock’s sensor logs the number plate of each car that drives into a residential street, for use by ‘neighbourhood leaders’.
This information could come in useful in the event of thefts, break-ins and other disturbances.
Residents of monitored neighbourhoods can opt-out of being tracked, but visitors cannot – an issue which raises privacy concerns.
Flock’s sensor will also capture a photograph and in the future the device could also include facial recognition technology. Its designers say that residents could opt out of being tracked but that visitors could not (stock image)
Flock’s sensor will also capture a photograph and in the future the device could also include facial recognition technology, according to BBC reports.
The devices could soon become a common sight, thanks to an injection of finance from the seed funding firm behind Dropbox, Reddit and Airbnb.
It is expected to cost around £40 ($50) a year per house.
It has already led to the conviction of one offender, according to its creators.
Speaking to the BBC Garret Langley, chief executive and co-founder of Flock, said: ‘An unfortunate individual drove into one of our [monitored] neighbourhoods,’ explained.
‘He put a nice road bike in the back of his car, and drove off with both the window down and the trunk open.
‘Not only do we have footage of his licence plate, we have a picture of his face and a picture of the bike in the back.’
The project is being funded by Y Combinator, which twice a year invests a small amount of money £94,000 ($120,000) in a large number of startups.
The firms then move to Silicon Valley for three months, during which time they receive intensive support to develop and refine their pitch to investors.
Each bi-annual cycle culminates in Demo Day, when the startups present their companies to an invite-only audience.
Would be criminals may have to think twice about the neighbourhoods they target, thanks to a sensor device which can track traffic. Flock’s sensor will log the number plate of each car that drives into a residential street (stock image)
The latest event, held yesterday, saw the device displayed to potential investors and other influential figures.
Flock’s devices are currently on trial in seven locations in Atlanta, Georgia.
Further tests are being considered for neighbourhoods across the US.
A privacy expert who spoke to the BBC said he believed the data collected by the device is legal in the US.
But it could provoke a public outcry over invasions into people’s right to privacy.
Albert Gidari, director of privacy at Stanford Law School’s Center for Internet and Society, said: ‘One of the great weaknesses in US privacy law is that we only protect against intrusions into private areas, not public spaces.
‘Public roads through neighbourhoods, licence plates, pedestrians on public sidewalks etc all are fair game.’