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How Las Vegas Installed A Massive Flock Camera Network Without Asking You

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LV police run about 200 Flock cameras backed by private funds. Metro logged more than 23,000 vehicle searches since 2023. Critics say donor funding sidestepped public debate. Flock Safety draws plenty of criticism for how it conducts business, yet city leaders are not always above scrutiny either. Public safety contracts often test the limits of transparency and oversight. Denver’s mayor recently faced backlash after approving a contract with the company valued just under the threshold that would have required city council approval. Now, Las Vegas is in the crosshairs because its police force is using around 200 Flock cameras that the public never had a say in. That’s because they’re almost all supported through private donations. Private Funding Sidesteps Public Review In most cases, cities end up paying for Flock Safety or other companies’ automatic license plate reader systems. To that end, the public often has a chance to speak up about whether or not they suppo...
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New Base Volvo EX30 In Europe Has 45% Less Power Than Yours

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Europe gets a new base EX30 with 148 hp and 211 miles of range. It adds updated UX and V2L, both coming via OTA updates. Production moves from China to Europe to avoid EU tariffs. The Volvo EX30 has been updated in Europe for 2026, mirroring changes already introduced on the US-spec model . The range now gains a new entry-level powertrain, refreshed infotainment, new Vehicle-to-Load capability, and a Europe-exclusive Black Edition. For European buyers, the headline is a lower entry point into the Volvo EV range. The EX30 now comes with a less potent electric motor producing 148 hp (110 kW / 150 PS), positioned as a more affordable alternative to the existing single-motor 268 hp (272 PS) and dual-motor 422 hp (428 PS) versions. More: Volvo Pulls 40,000 EVs Back For Costly Battery Replacement This new variant, not available in North America, can be paired with a 51 kWh battery pack delivering 339 km (211 miles) of WLTP range. Step up to the 69 kWh battery and the range ...
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Ohio Sees What Indiana Did With License Plates And Likes The Math

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Ohio may introduce optional blackout plates with new fees. The design removes the state slogan but keeps validation tags. Indiana’s version generated over $1.3 million in two months. Ohio could become the latest US state to introduce blacked-out license plates for local motorists. The design is proving popular elsewhere in the country, and it also happens to be rather effective at quietly topping up DMV coffers, which may or may not explain the sudden enthusiasm. Ohio State Sen. Nathan Manning recently introduced a bill proposing blackout license plates. Like similar designs offered elsewhere, they would feature a solid black background with white letters and numbers. Read: Wisconsin’s New Retro License Plates Could Become The State’s Next Cash Cow Importantly, they would not include the “Birthplace of Aviation” phrase that appears on standard Ohio tags, but they would still need a validation sticker showing the vehicle’s registration expiration date. The bill prop...
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Mazda Admits It Learned From China, And Its Future EVs Will Show It

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Mazda says the CX-6e is a clear step beyond the 6e. Working with Changan brought a steep learning curve. Those lessons will shape Mazda’s future in-house EVs. Mazda has moved on from the niche MX-30 crossover, reshuffling its fully electric lineup in China and select global markets, though not North America, with the 6e sedan and the CX-6e SUV. The two mechanically related EVs arrived in quick succession, yet a senior Mazda Europe executive says there is a noticeable development gap between them, largely due to the steep learning curve that came with partnering up with Changan. Christian Schultze, Director of Technology Research at Mazda Europe, explained the process in an interview with AutoRAI . Both models are heavily based on the Deepal L07 sedan and S07 SUV from Changan’s dedicated EV brand, adapted for global markets under the Mazda joint venture. Bridging Cultures Through Engineering So what actually separates the Mazda 6e , launched in 2024, from the CX-6e tha...
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San Francisco Sold Cameras As A Soft Reminder, Ticket Count Feels Like A Hard Crackdown

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Automated cameras produced the bulk of San Francisco’s citation increase. Early data shows meaningful local speed reductions at camera sites. Cameras raise enforcement numbers but don’t fully replace police work. San Francisco switched on speed cameras in 2025 to handle enforcement that would otherwise fall to police officers already stretched thin. When officials installed cameras at 33 roads and intersections last year, they pitched it as a light tap on the shoulder for drivers to be more careful, not the start of a citation conveyor belt. The results, however, told a different story. Speeding citations jumped by 369 percent, rising from just over 26,000 to 122,000, a level the city had not seen in a decade. Cameras Eclipse Traditional Policing According to city data obtained by the San Francisco Chronicle , speed cameras generated 91,000 citations in just five months. For context, the San Francisco Police Department issued around 20,000 tickets in a full year, whi...
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Mazda Secretly Built A V6 MX-5, Then Killed It Over One Ugly Problem

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Mazda engineers secretly built a 2.5-liter V6 MX-5. It sharpened the drive but caused packaging headaches. Design compromises kept the V6 Miata from production. If there is one complaint that usually follows the MX-5 around, it is a perceived lack of power. That gripe has echoed for decades, inspiring just about every engine swap imaginable in the Miata community, from V6s to V8s and even the occasiona l V12 squeezed into a very small nose. Now, a new interview with a senior Mazda executive reveals that 20 years ago, the brand tried something that has received little public attention. What was it? Engineers slipped a V6 under the hood of a prototype MX-5, then discovered two obstacles that kept it from reaching production. Also: Mazda Confirms New MX-5 NE Will Be Electrified, Just Not Fully Electric While speaking with Dutch outlet AutoRAI about the future of the next-generation NE model, Christian Schultze, Director of Research and Operations at Mazda Motor Europe, ...
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