Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Cops Will Soon ID You Via Your Roof Rack (arstechnica.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the hide-and-seek dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: On Tuesday, one of the largest license plate reader (LPR) manufacturers, ELSAG, announced a major upgrade to "allow investigators to search by color, seven body types, 34 makes, and nine visual descriptors in addition to the standard plate number, location, and time." Such a vast expansion of the tech now means that evading such scans will be even more difficult.

"Using advanced computer vision software, ELSAG ALPR data can now be processed to include the vehicle's make, type -- sedan, SUV, hatchback, pickup, minivan, van, box truck -- and general color -- red, blue, green, white and yellow," ELSAG continued. "The solution actively recognizes the 34 most-common vehicle brands on US roads." Plus, the company says, the software is now able to visually identity things like a "roof rack, spare tire, bumper sticker, or a ride-sharing company decal."

98 comments

  1. Nice rack! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    See what I did there? Pigs.

    1. Re:Nice rack! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      cremier

    2. Re:Nice rack! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      MODDOWN! ; creimer spam post again!

      creimer wants you to click on his youtube channel, then click on his stupid amazon affiliate link spam on Youtube. There is nothing of value on creimer youtube channel. Only creimer click-bot goes there.

      The tests we ran on Chris have shown that Chris has the intelligence of an ameba:
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

      So, technically, he is able to conceive some kind of agenda but it will be silly or impossible to follow on a human scale.

      For example, Chris had an agenda to post anything he felt like on Slashdot which did not work well because it was based on his false beliefs that he had an infinite number of karma points as he wrote here several times.

      Several people here explained to Chris that karma maxed out at some level like 50 or so but Chris kept on insisting that his python script had confirmed that he had millions of karma points!

      Oh well, as I wrote before: "It isn't Chris' fault if he is the way he is. We do the best we can do with him and he is partially integrated into society. We try to cure his abnormal need for attention but he is kind of stubborn and won't listen to anybody."

      For the valuable /. users that might already have read the following, please note that there is an important update.

      IMPORTANT UPDATE:
      Special Education for the Santa Clara County Office of Education has invested money to buy Chris a new chair:
      http://www.keynamics.com/image...

      Information about Christopher Dale Reimer and autistic people:

      Autistic people have obsessions about things normal people don't care. For example, one of our autistic patient went haywire when he realized that there was a penny missing in his pocket change.

      To calm him down, one of our educator pretended to have found it on the floor and gave a penny to him.

      The autistic patient condition went even worse because he realized it wasn't the same penny!

      Chris has an obsession with budgeting every penny. He doesn't understand that most people do not budget to the penny and have a flexible amount they allow for miscellaneous items.

      I am Nancy Guerrero and I am Director of Special Education for the Santa Clara County Office of Education. We use Chris' (a.k.a. creimer,cdreimer) picture in our document because he is the hardest case we have ever had to handle:
      http://www.sccoe.org/depts/stu...

      Our artists were inspired by the low carb diet that Christopher follows scrupulously for the small lunch box and by the picture linked below for the rest. I am sure that you will notice the similarities such as the bump on the side of his chest and more:
      https://ibb.co/gVad65

      Please be easy on Christopher although, I am aware that some of our staff handling Chris post joke comments here and obvoiusly, the Santa Clara County Office of Education disapprove that behavior vehemently:
      http://ibb.co/mRVSaG

      But it isn't Chris' fault if he is the way he is. We do the best we can do with him and he is partially integrated into society. We try to cure his abnormal need for attention but he is kind of stubborn and won't listen to anybody.

      Thank You dear users,
      ---
      Nancy Guerrero
      Director
      Special Education
      Santa Clara County Office of Education

      Exactly Nancy,

      It seems like Chris is a victim here. He keeps on reading those SEO, youtube algorithm, basically get rich quick sites. He doesn't realize that he is the fish for them since they make money off him with their own schemes. Then, he wastes his time trying to implement what those sites suggest and he ends up disturbing people.

      I mean, those crooks tell Chris that h

    3. Re:Nice rack! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      On new cars with access points (yes, new cars have embedded Wifi access points for 4G hotspot), why not also their MAC?

    4. Re:Nice rack! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Time to break out the iridescent El Camino with body kit.

    5. Re:Nice rack! by stooo · · Score: 1

      >> ...bumper sticker...
      Let's identify and catalog people based on their travel habits, location, and political inclination.
      What. could. possibly. go. wrong ?
      Then if the data doesn't leak by some "cyber attack" (you know it's only the russians), then we sell this data to corps.
      Again, What. could. possibly. go. wrong ?

      --
      aaaaaaa
    6. Re:Nice rack! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bought a cheap usb bluetooth am/fm car radio from walmart for 20 bucks. The thing continuously transmits its bluetooth eletronic serial number which has a radius of about 15 feet.

    7. Re:Nice rack! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In some despotic countries its also common to have your ethnic and religious affiliations on your id card.

  2. LPR? by ebcdic · · Score: 2

    What's LPR?

    1. Re:LPR? by markdavis · · Score: 1

      >"What's LPR?"

      License Plate Reader

    2. Re:LPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      License Plate Recognition

    3. Re:LPR? by iggymanz · · Score: 2, Funny

      the command to print on the Berkley Printing System, of course. What? the cops tried to give it another meaning decades later you say? How do they expect to talk to normal people if they do that?

    4. Re:LPR? by Tablizer · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Lose Privacy & Rights"
      At least that's the end result.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    5. Re:LPR? by GrBear · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Actually, it's ALPR, and it stands for Automatic License Plate Recognition. We've sold several systems to police forces in Canada, including ELSAG's products.

      Recognition is not 100% accurate though, especially in Canada with our more often than not dirty plates, and those funky polar bear shaped plates from the Northwest Territories, and Alberta's non-reflective plates.

      They're great for patrolling parking lots where the officer can drive up and down the rows of vehicles looking for outstanding warrants and stolen vehicles automatically.

    6. Re:LPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lackadaisical Police Ramrods

    7. Re:LPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The mechanical Hound slept but did not sleep, lived but did not live in its gently humming, gently vibrating, softly illuminated kennel back in a dark corner of the fire house. The dim light of one in the morning, the moonlight from the open sky framed through the great window, touched here and there on the brass and copper and the steel of the faintly trembling beast. Light flickered on bits of ruby glass and on sensitive capillary hairs in the nylon-brushed nostrils of the creature that quivered gently, its eight legs spidered under it on rubber padded paws.

      Nights when things got dull, which was every night, the men slid down the brass poles, and set the ticking combinations of the olfactory system of the hound and let loose rats in the fire house areaway. Three seconds later the game was done, the rat caught half across the areaway, gripped in gentle paws while a four-inch hollow steel needle plunged down from the proboscis of the hound to inject massive jolts of morphine or procaine.

      captcha: watchman

    8. Re:LPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      lp0 tesla on fire

    9. Re:LPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Loss of Protected Rights.

    10. Re:LPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Meanwhile in the United States, their inaccuracy is prized for their immense utility in securing "resisting" convictions and hunting down the unarmed innocent.

    11. Re: LPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LPR: Lackadaisy Pure Rum. (What Rocky and Calvin (aka Freckle) will make when they wake up and realize that it is cheaper and easier to make their own hooch than to keep trying to buy it from others.)

      For anyone confused, see the excellent webcomic http://lackadaisycats.com, which is about anthropomorphic cats in the Prohibition era, as this is a reference to that.

    12. Re:LPR? by sysrammer · · Score: 1

      What's ebcdic?

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
    13. Re:LPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is there ALPR open source? If so how good?

      Core is a good IR flashlight to trick up the plate to make it obvious to find.
      Part of the trick is symmetry, locate the tail lights, roof and bottom and look for a rectangle with letters/numbers, except some cars have a number-plate offset.
      So if you had a large moving van, with a flat door, you could paint on a 'car with a license plate image'. A car on a car trailer? Lots of edge cases.

      The new main use is parking tickets. Some people have James Bond number plate tricks, some sink it deeper in the car with a hood plate poor ones have mud, but that is fine-able too. Private tow truck firms also use it heavily. Blackmailers use it on pickup strips to shakedown Johns, and identify Doctors cars in specialists medical centres. Combined with free open source facebook recognition, things are going to get interesting.

    14. Re:LPR? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Extended Binary Coded Decimal Interchange Code is an eight-bit character encoding used mainly on IBM mainframe and IBM midrange computer operating systems. Not used in any known ALPRS.

    15. Re:LPR? by demonlapin · · Score: 1

      Of what use is it to identify the doctors’ cars at a medical center? It’s usually trivially simple; they’re the ones parked in spots that say “DOCTORS ONLY” or have their name on them.

    16. Re:LPR? by wiretrip · · Score: 1

      Actually, it's called ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) and is a British invention from 1976.

    17. Re:LPR? by AutodidactLabrat · · Score: 1

      Too true.
      American Law ENFORCERS have a preference for false positives resulting in a free pass for reprehensible, illegal-for-anyone-not-wearing-a-badge behavior.

  3. Camo paint by DRichardHipp · · Score: 1

    You think I can defeat these new LPRs using dazzle camo? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

    1. Re: Camo paint by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Better add some kibble to the top of your vehicle. Weld a few pipes or maybe a skull.

    2. Re:Camo paint by Hadlock · · Score: 2

      I think digital camo near the edges and dazzle paint in the middle of the flat panels would be able to defeat this, until they switch to lidar and/or silhouette masking against a flat background.

      --
      moox. for a new generation.
    3. Re:Camo paint by msauve · · Score: 1, Troll

      Camo? "...and general color -- red, blue, green, white and yellow,"

      My car is dark gray, you insensitive clod.

      --
      "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    4. Re:Camo paint by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You think I can defeat these new LPRs using dazzle camo?

      Doubtful, but a few Molotov cocktails tossed into the precinct's garage/motor pool and through the front window of the officials approving this would set them back a bit.

    5. Re:Camo paint by llamalad · · Score: 2

      How about this instead: https://techcrunch.com/2018/01...

  4. Subarus by ichthus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Plus, the company says, the software is now able to visually identity things like ... bumper sticker

    If you RTFA, Subarus are not supported. Interestingly, the system is only able to support up to 10 bumper stickers.

    --
    sig: sauer
    1. Re:Subarus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We also keep kyaks and bikes we never use on the roof rack. Suck it, you drone bastards!

    2. Re:Subarus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's just Outbacks, and if you drive one your tagged as a treehugging liberal.

    3. Re:Subarus by arth1 · · Score: 1

      Interestingly, the system is only able to support up to 10 bumper stickers.

      Per car, or is that the total for the entire system?

    4. Re:Subarus by Drethon · · Score: 1

      Plus, the company says, the software is now able to visually identity things like ... bumper sticker

      If you RTFA, Subarus are not supported. Interestingly, the system is only able to support up to 10 bumper stickers.

      I think 10 bumper stickers should be more than enough to uniquely identify most cars.

    5. Re:Subarus by MountainLogic · · Score: 1

      I think 10 bumper stickers should be more than enough to uniquely identify most cars.
      You obviously have not visited the Fremont area of Seattle.

    6. Re: Subarus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I would be laughing my ass off if that was for the entire system.

    7. Re: Subarus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not if you move them around every morning

    8. Re:Subarus by PPH · · Score: 1

      e-Paper bumper stickers. Throw off the police. And change your politics every time the wind direction changes.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    9. Re:Subarus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's OK. Thieves wouldn't want to be found in them and the owners are likely only guilty of a couple grams.

    10. Re:Subarus by Drethon · · Score: 1

      I think 10 bumper stickers should be more than enough to uniquely identify most cars.

      You obviously have not visited the Fremont area of Seattle.

      Yeah but even if multiple cars of the same make/model have the same 10 bumper stickers, I don't think they will be in the same place. At least I assume the algorithm includes sticker positioning, not just identification.

    11. Re:Subarus by sysrammer · · Score: 1

      Plus, the company says, the software is now able to visually identity things like ... bumper sticker

      If you RTFA, Subarus are not supported. Interestingly, the system is only able to support up to 10 bumper stickers.

      That's because 10 bumper stickers will completely cover the back of a Subaru; plate, lights and all.

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
  5. You know what they say... by Monkey-Wrench-Inc · · Score: 1

    When roof racks are outlawed, only outlaws will have roof racks.

    1. Re:You know what they say... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Heh.

      Ha!, I've got a removable roof rack! Let's see them deal with that!

  6. Tip by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You're not important enough to change your roof rack unless you deal drugs or are a politician.

  7. Oh yah? by Tablizer · · Score: 2

    Classify this!

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
    1. Re:Oh yah? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Red sedan, no roof rack. Can't read decal on right side rear window.

    2. Re:Oh yah? by Tablizer · · Score: 3, Funny

      It says, "Null; Delete all tables, no-confirm;"

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    3. Re:Oh yah? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Classification: Criminal

    4. Re:Oh yah? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Drug dealer car"

    5. Re:Oh yah? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's a very pretty stovebolt.

    6. Re:Oh yah? by bmimatt · · Score: 1

      This seems appropriate here: Bobby Tables https://www.explainxkcd.com/wi...

  8. Off they come by martinX · · Score: 3, Funny

    Better take the roof racks off my Harley then.

    --
    When they came for the communists, I said "He's next door. Take him away. Goddam commies."
    1. Re:Off they come by rrohbeck · · Score: 1

      I never had roof racks on my bicycle. Checkmate, cops.

      --
      thegodmovie.com - watch it
    2. Re:Off they come by hackertourist · · Score: 1

      Don't bother, they'll still be able to recognize you by your exhaust sound. From 3 blocks away.

  9. Oh the irony by A10Mechanic · · Score: 1

    The subject was positively identified by the EFF bumper sticker on the back of his car.

  10. Looks like by bobstreo · · Score: 1

    it's time to get out my '57 Impala again.

    I'll probably get pulled over for having a non-recognizable auto instead of a black 4 door vehicle.

    1. Re:Looks like by iggymanz · · Score: 2

      I'm sure my grey Honda looks like tens of thousands of others with no bumper sticker

  11. you can't make stuff like this up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    https://www.newswiretoday.com/company-info/leonardocompany.com/

    from the article link

    "our group makes products designed to protect our freedom and empower the nation"

              Company Name: Leonardo S.p.a.
                Trading Symbol(s): [FNC IM; SIFI.MI]
                Contact: Press Office - Finmeccanica.com
                Address: Confidential
                City: Washington

    1. Re:you can't make stuff like this up by lannocc · · Score: 1

      From whois:

      Registrant Organization: Leonardo S.p.A.
      Registrant Street: Piazza Monte Grappa, 4
      Registrant City: Roma
      Registrant State/Province: RM
      Registrant Postal Code: 00195
      Registrant Country: IT
      Registrant Phone: +39.0632473314
      Registrant Email: info@akran.it

      --
      -IOVAR Web Dev Platform
  12. Come find me! by bobbied · · Score: 1

    Good luck boys..

    I drive a white F150... There are millions of them rolling around in varying states of disrepair because nearly every company that buys Ford trucks buys white ones. Around here I can impersonate an illegal by towing a trailer with a couple of lawnmowers on it too... In a sanctuary city I'm Scott free (Until they see the old white guy driving. )

    --
    "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
    1. Re:Come find me! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They'll narrow it down with the two empty Budweiser cans that have been rattling around your truck's bed the last six months, and if not that, by the shit you have cluttering the top of the dash, your parking permit, or a visible scratch or dent.

      Don't worry. They. Will. Find. You.

    2. Re: Come find me! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Machine vision can differentiate if explained how. Like, that dent you have in a very specific spot, coupled with a particular make/model tire and wheel,, coupled with the tarnished FORD logo.

      This stuff is pretty easily added as image discriminators to classify your specific white Ford f150

    3. Re:Come find me! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and i can impersonate real americans by putting a few flags on my car, having an irresponsible number of kids, and bitching about how the reason i didn't get something was because of things like illegals or minorities and affirmative action, completely ignoring the fact that lots of other white people didn't seem to have a problem getting it (eliminating minorities from the equation would still likely put most of these jackasses nowhere near the front of that line. there are millions of other _white_ people more qualified than them. i'm sorry, did you want a handout here? take some fucking responsibility for your own shortcomings. the racism is just lazy.)

      fun fact for any non-americans here wondering about the flag thing: real americans do this so they don't forget where they live; you're not a real american until you're dumb enough to forget where the fuck you live without actually being senile.

    4. Re:Come find me! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What if I put a few large magnetic decals on the side say "Toms Lawn Mowing" then next week a large sign that says "Joes Plumbing"... perhaps a few other magnets that look like bumper stickers but will be moved, changed often.

  13. No black? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "red, blue, green, white and yellow...:"

    what about black? Can't read it? Looks like we all have to buy black-tinted cars now. Thanks Land of the Free, you suck balls.

  14. I'll now need ... by Alain+Williams · · Score: 1

    a tin foil hat for my car!

  15. What could go wrong? by Bugler412 · · Score: 1

    I'm sure there will be absolutely no problem with injurious or deadly police actions taken based on false identification or bad backend database data at all wille there? (I've been a victim even using the explicit license plate scanners)

    1. Re:What could go wrong? by nehumanuscrede · · Score: 1

      " based on false identification or bad backend database data "

      Trust me when I say they don't need such things to open fire on your vehicle. You need only drive something that vaguely resembles a vehicle they're looking for and they'll stand on the brake, jump out and go full death squad on your ass.

      As many of you will hold up the bullshit signs and demand citations, I will have you recall the story of Christopher Dorner where LAPD went full stupid on several civilians for merely driving a vehicle that looked similar.

      " In two separate incidents during the manhunt, police shot at three civilians unrelated to Dorner, mistaking their pickup trucks for the vehicle being driven by Dorner. One of the civilians was hit by the police gunfire, another was wounded by shattered glass, and a third individual was injured when police rammed his vehicle and opened fire. "

      Google it if you want more info.

  16. Bumper Sticker by PPH · · Score: 3, Funny

    I Support'); DROP TABLE Vehicles;--

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
    1. Re:Bumper Sticker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I support "Let R be the set of all sets that are not members of themselves."

    2. Re:Bumper Sticker by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You win The Internet today.

  17. Fuck the police by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 2

    I'm going to paint "FUCK THE POLICE" on the roof of my car in paint that only shows up in infrared.

    1. Re:Fuck the police by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm going to paint "FUCK THE POLICE" on the roof of my car in paint that only shows up in infrared.

      save us the mess and just hang yourself

    2. Re:Fuck the police by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      NO U

      Faggots like you need to go /b/ack to /b/ where you /b/elong, and be sure to stay in your containment unit this time or we'll use the hose on you again.

  18. Take the train by FunkSoulBrother · · Score: 1

    problem solved.

    1. Re:Take the train by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They'll just demand ID at the metal detectors they make you go through before you're allowed to board.

      Just like airplanes. And yes, they're already doing that here in yurp, so no reason you couldn't be following suit.

    2. Re:Take the train by FunkSoulBrother · · Score: 1

      Oh cool, maybe we'll get gun control then

  19. Convertible Drivers Unite by R3d+M3rcury · · Score: 1

    I don't have a roof, you insensitive clod!

  20. how to know if your spouse is cheating by mistycephus072 · · Score: 1

    Do you need service of a hacker who can help you get your job done? Search no more. They have reputable service to get your job done without trace, speedy work recovery, guarantee non data lost, expert in handling of Phone penetration, email hacks, WhatsApp previous and current messages access remotely and remote server shutdown.They are the guru in terms of service delivery. What are you seeking for?. Do you want get access to another WhatsApp, Phone, Email, Facebook, School Grades, spy on Phone. This is our job. Contact them Today for speedy work and no excuses....TEXT NUMBER:+15186284630 or through their WHAT'S APP number:+15185049376 or visit ehir website for better understanding .WEBSITE ; oneofonehack.com

  21. Re:LPR? attribution: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451

  22. Truth is a defense by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

    They already know me by my bumper stickers, which reads, "My other car is your mom".

    --
    You are welcome on my lawn.
  23. HOOOOORAAAAAAY! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    DYSTOPIA! HUZZAH!

  24. Color shifting paint by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, it's really a thing .. for example https://alsacorp.com/mystic/

  25. Computer vision is just a legal hack. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wouldn't it be cheaper for everyone just to put an RFID chip into the license plates and readers in the road?

  26. I'm an American by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    I drive a 20 year old piece of junk with only about 30% of the original pieces and so many dents it only resembles a car in the academic sense. So yeah, good luck with using AI on me.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
    1. Re:I'm an American by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That makes you even easier to to identify. The system is looking for ways to identify cars as unique, you'd do better looking like every other car

  27. 34 most-common vehicle brands.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "The solution actively recognizes the 34 most-common vehicle brands on US roads."

    Criminals everywhere reading this are looking to buy Yugos and Edsels.

  28. Let's get it over with by SemperOSS · · Score: 1

    ... and get those RFID implants once and for all so they can track each of us too.

    --
    I don't need a signature to draw attention to myself.
    1. Re: Let's get it over with by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Huh? Each car tire has had RFID implants in USA for years.

  29. What Balls by Topwiz · · Score: 1

    So if I call the cops to complain about the guy in my town who drives a pickup truck with giant chrome testicles hanging from the hitch, they will know who I'm talking about?

  30. Vulnerability Detected by Gornkleschnitzer · · Score: 1

    general color -- red, blue, green, white and yellow

    Apparently, if you want to sneak past this system... just drive a black car.