New surveillance technology connects your phone to your license plate

A new surveillance system called SignalTrace can link phone and Bluetooth signals to license plate records, effectively transforming roadside cameras into far richer tracking tools, according to Ars Technica, citing researcher Nicole M. Bennett writing for The Conversation. Marketed by security firm Leonardo, the system identifies recurring device signatures near vehicles without needing a license plate number.

While Leonardo says SignalTrace “does not identify people” directly, Bennett argues linked signals can still reveal identity and associations over time. The technology has reportedly been deployed in Oxon Hill, Maryland, raising fresh Fourth Amendment questions following the 2026 Chatrie ruling.