MapQuest now shows you Flock and other license plate reader cameras on your route

A new MapQuest feature allows users to find license plate reader cameras in their area.

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Louis Post-Dispatch/Contributor/Getty Images; Business Insider MapQuest is pulling the curtain back on automatic license plate readers.

Users can now locate Flock Safety and other surveillance cameras on MapQuest's app.

Critics of the tech have raised privacy concerns and potential misuse.

MapQuest, the OG software to find your way from point A to point B , is taking on the surveillance state.

The free mapping service unveiled a new feature for its mobile app on Thursday that allows users to turn on a "surveillance layer" on a map to locate known automated license plate readers, or ALPRs, along their route.

MapQuest says the app can identify cameras developed by Flock Safety , Axon Enterprise , Motorola Solutions, and PlateSmart, among others.

"The Roads Have Eyes!" the company said in its BlueSky post announcing the new feature.

The Roads Have Eyes! 👁️ Turn on the Surveillance Layer in Map Options to see known license plate readers from Flock Safety, Motorola Solutions (Vigilant), Genetec, Axis Communications, Axon, Leonardo (ELSAG), Neology, Rekor, PlateSmart, Ubicquia, Verkada, and other outdoor surveillance cameras. [image or embed] — MapQuest ( @mapquest.com ) October 15, 2026 at 6:49 PM License plate readers capture images of vehicles and then use machine learning to turn details such as license plate numbers, car make, color, and model into searchable data.

They're commonly found at intersections, parking lots , roadways, highways, and neighborhood entrances, businesses, and private properties.

Law enforcement agencies initially embraced license plate readers to help them locate vehicles and identify suspects.

Retail outlets have also used Flock cameras as part of their security efforts.

A major backlash against the cameras, however, has led stores, police, and towns to dial back their use.