These License Plate Cameras Can Now Track You Through Your AirPods, Phone, or Even Your Dog

A new surveillance system from Leonardo called SignalTrace is turning traditional automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) into multi-purpose tracking tools that link vehicles to the electronic devices inside them. Instead of just logging a car’s license plate, SignalTrace collects signals from nearby Bluetooth devices—smartphones, AirPods, smartwatches, fitness trackers—and even vehicle systems, Wi-Fi devices, RFID tags, and pet microchips. The system then builds an “electronic fingerprint” for each vehicle by identifying which devices consistently travel with it. Even if a car changes or removes its license plates, investigators could still track it by the unique collection of devices associated with it. The technology stores this correlation data, allowing law enforcement (and potentially others with unauthorized access) to build historical records linking devices, locations, and vehicles over time. While supporters argue it could aid crime-solving by identifying suspects who evade detection, critics warn it represents a major escalation in government surveillance, especially since many tracked devices belong to people with no criminal ties. The system’s expansion reflects a broader trend in ALPR technology, which has increasingly focused on identifying not just vehicles but the people inside them. Leonardo has not publicly commented beyond its marketing materials, but if SignalTrace becomes widely adopted, the debate around license plate readers may shift from tracking cars to tracking digital fingerprints—making it irrelevant which vehicle someone is in.