Police Are Using AI to Pull over Drivers for 'Suspicious' Behavior

Law enforcement agencies across the United States are increasingly using automated license plate readers (ALPRs) combined with AI to pull over drivers for "suspicious" travel patterns, even without evidence of a specific crime. The ACLU highlighted cases including a Virginia woman stopped for spending too much time in the left lane, whose license plate was flagged for crossing multiple states, and warned that such encounters will likely become more common as privacy advocates raise concerns about warrantless tracking of millions of innocent people. Growing backlash against these systems has led some police departments, including Los Angeles, to suspend or end their contracts with ALPR companies.