Tech · 18 d ago
MapQuest now shows where surveillance cameras are on its map
What's new
MapQuest added a Surveillance Layer to its mobile app on Oct 15, showing known licence plate readers and other outdoor cameras. Users switch it on in Map Options, next to traffic and incidents.
Some of the camera makers shown
- Flock Safety
- Motorola Solutions (Vigilant)
- Genetec
- Axon
- Verkada
The layer covers cameras from about a dozen companies, including Flock Safety, Motorola Solutions, Axon and Verkada, with locations taken from OpenStreetMap contributors.
What it does
licence plate reader
A licence plate reader photographs passing cars and logs their plates, times and locations, which police and private groups can then search.
Background
Flock's cameras face growing pushback in the US, including a Senate inquiry, and a US judge ruled one police Flock search unconstitutional. The company's CEO says only a small number of bad actors have abused its technology.
MapQuest downloads jumped in September after it refused to relabel Lake Ontario as Lake America, as Google Maps and Apple Maps did.
