How will cities handle the Flock backlash?
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AI-powered surveillance tools appear to be following a similar political path as data centers. They were until recently widely embraced by local political leaders across the U.S. but are now facing a furious backlash from residents who worry their local governments have sold their privacy and dignity away to Big Government and Big Tech. Recent reports about police officers misusing Flock license plate readers have only amplified distrust, forcing Flock to play defense.
Meanwhile, self-driving freight trucks may not be a top concern to most people, but it’s a major concern for America’s more than 3 million truck drivers. Unlike Uber and Lyft drivers, many of these workers are backed by a powerful union: the Teamsters. That’s why the recent authorization of autonomous truck testing in California could lead to a big political battle.
Plus, a brutal heat wave is exposing Europe’s infrastructure vulnerabilities. Air conditioned robotaxis can’t arrive soon enough.
What you need to know
Flock plays defense: In response to mounting backlash over abuses of its surveillance network, Flock Safety endorses stricter controls on the use of its data by police departments and encourages departments to make use of a tool that can identify abnormal uses. A recent investigation by the Washington Post identified numerous instances of police officers using the company’s license plate readers inappropriately, including to track exes. Even before the Post investigation, Flock had become the subject of intense opposition that combines traditional concerns about mass surveillance and civil liberties with distrust of artificial intelligence.
California inches into self-driving trucks: Two autonomous trucking startups, Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI, have been authorized by the California DMV to begin testing on public roads, albeit with a safety driver behind the wheel. Even in a state where robotaxis have been operating for years, this small step towards autonomous freight may still face fierce resistance due to opposition from labor groups representing delivery drivers. The Teamsters have already sued to halt implementation. State lawmakers will no doubt similarly be under pressure to intervene to protect what is one of the most common blue collar jobs in America.
Robotaxis get real in Europe: Uber and Pony.ai, the Chinese AV startup, announce plans to expand their existing robotaxi collaboration in Zagreb, Croatia to four more unspecified European cities. The 2,000 vehicles and self-driving tech will be provided by Pony.ai and will be hailed through Uber’s platform.
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No good answers on EV fires: There’s a lot to love about EVs, including the fact that they are less likely to catch on fire than gas-powered cars. But once an EV battery ignites, there’s often not much to do except let the thing burn out. That’s the conclusion of a new study by UL Research Institutes’ Fire Safety Research Institute, which finds that there is no new technology that offers a promising alternative to water and waiting.
Europe’s overheating infrastructure: Hotter temperatures are unending assumptions about European transportation. When heat isn’t forcing transit agencies to consider expensive air conditioning upgrades, it is warping rail tracks and causing overhead lines to droop and get tangled up in trains.
What we’re reading
Shifting modes, shifting mindsets: Some of the fortunate 1,000 Portlanders who got a free (or nearly free) e-bike from the city talk about the ways the new mode of transportation has improved their lives. Said one person: “One thing I love is just riding and smelling the flowers and the trees as they’re blooming. Portland’s a beautiful city. I’m stopping all the time and taking pictures of plants. When I’m in a car, I don’t do that.”
