For evidence that America’s surveillance dystopia is totally out of control, you need look no further than Florida, where automated policing is getting more inventive by the day. The latest insult to our collective sense of personal privacy? A self-driving cop car that can reportedly launch drones.
In a press release published earlier this month, the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s office announced the launch of a new pilot program involving something cops are calling the PUG. That’s short for the “Police Unmanned Ground vehicle,” which is also described as a “Patrol Partner” for local cops.
The PUG will be an autonomous vehicle that comes equipped with a bevy of new surveillance technologies. The press release notes that the vehicle will leverage “AI-driven analytics, real-time crime data, and a suite of sensors including 360-degree cameras, thermal imaging, license plate recognition, and drone launch capabilities.” Its autonomous capabilities are supplied by a firm called Perrone Robotics, according to the press release…