The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) is concerned that Kenyan drivers are neglecting to replace their old number plates with the new, aesthetically pleasing ones that were designed to enhance security features.
The new number plates have automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) technology that allows police officers to deal with any potential issues in seconds.
In addition to tracking high-speed vehicles, the ANPR system can store images and text from license plates, and even transmit photographs of the driver to a digital system.
The new plates cost Ksh3,050 and are synchronized with the revenue authority system to catch tax cheats and defaulters.
However, privacy concerns have been raised due to ANPR technology’s potential for government tracking and misidentification.
Waterloo Regional Police warn that the software runs on standard home computer hardware and can be linked to other databases, making it a form of mass surveillance.
