Markey, Other Senators Press Amazon on Surveillance Cameras

Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and four other members of the Democratic caucus pressed Amazon Wednesday about reports of AI-capable surveillance cameras in its delivery vehicles. The cameras reportedly used Driveri software to “constantly record video footage when drivers are on their delivery routes and reportedly also capture footage of the roads and sidewalks,” Markey’s office said. “Although community and automobile safety are of the utmost importance, they must not come at the expense of workers and the publics’ safety, privacy, and wellbeing,” the senators said in a letter to CEO Jeff Bezos. They asked Bezos to detail whether the Driveri cameras also “employ facial recognition technology or other biometric recognition technology” and whether any “driver of Amazon’s vehicles” can opt out. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn.; Cory Booker, D-N.J.; Markey; Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.; and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., asked whether footage will be used for personnel reasons and under what circumstances the e-tailer might share the content with law enforcement. The company didn’t comment.