Flock launches AI system to track vehicles by appearance

Flock, a company that supplies camera-based public safety systems, recently introduced an AI tool that links images across roadside and private camera networks to follow vehicles by visual features when names or license plates are unavailable.

The system matches video frames using machine-learning models and compares attributes such as make, model, color, damage, aftermarket parts and other visual details to identify the same vehicle across multiple cameras.

Law enforcement agencies can use those matches to trace a vehicle’s movement across camera locations and build a timeline of sightings. Flock markets the tool to police departments, gated communities and private businesses in the United States for investigations including hit-and-runs and robbery getaways where witnesses can describe a vehicle but cannot provide a plate number.

The new capability complements Flock’s automated license plate recognition cameras, which scan plates and flag hits for officers. Company representatives say adding image-based matching provides an investigative option when plate information is obscured, changed or not available.

Privacy advocates and civil liberties groups have raised concerns about image-based vehicle tracking. Critics point to the potential for widespread surveillance, incorrect matches and misuse if the technology is deployed without limits.

Legal and policy questions remain about governance of such systems. Existing state and local rules for license plate readers do not always cover broader image-matching tools, and officials and community groups are debating retention limits, access controls and transparency measures. Some municipalities require public reporting and strict access logs for automated surveillance; others have moved to restrict or ban certain camera deployments.

Agencies that deploy camera networks typically integrate the video feeds with investigative workflows that allow officers to search for vehicles, tag sightings and assemble movement histories. Flock’s release adds to a market where technology companies, police departments and privacy advocates are assessing how those tools should be used and regulated.