Flock Made New Products With Refurbished Batteries, Alleges Its Manufacturer
Under scrutiny from civil liberties advocates for potential errors and abuses of its LPR systems, Flock Safety has now also been accused in a lawsuit of cutting corners in the manufacturing process that caused a fire.
In this report, we examine allegations that the company has used refurbished batteries, its possible motivations for that decision, and the risks for Flock and its customers.
Executive *******
*********** ****** ***** *********** ** ****, Flock ********* ******** *** ************ ** use *********** *******-*** ********* ******* ** new ********* ** *** ********, ********* to * ******* ***** ** ** insurer *** *** ************. *** ** the *********** ********* ******* * ****, causing ** ***** $***,*** ** ******,*** ****************.
*** ******* [******** **** *** ********** ** ****** Manufacturing ****] ******** * ****** **** *****’* business ********* ***** ***** ********* *** be **** ******. ***** *** *** comment ** *** ******* ** ******* or **** *********** ** ***** *********** batteries.
******** ******* *********** ** *** ******** refurbished ********* ** *** ********, ********* is ******* ***** *** *****. *** instance,*** **** **** ******** ************* **** ** ************* ********* **** concerns ***** ***** ** *-***** *** scooters.
***** ** * ******* ******* ****** than * ******** ****** – ***, therefore ***** ************** *** ********** *** maintaining *******, ***** ********* **** **** somewhat. *******, *** ******** **********, **** as *******, *** ** ************* ********* of *** *** *******.
*** ******** ******* ** **** ** was ****** ** **** ******* **** refurbished ********* **** ** ******* ** all. *** *******,***** *** ********** ** ***** ****** ****, **** it *** **:
******* ** *** ******* **** ** death ********* **** **** ****** **** with ******* *****, **’** ***** ** the **** **** *** ************ ***** move **** *******.
***** ***** ********* ***** **** ********* to **** **** ** ******* *********** batteries.
***** **** ********** ****** *******, ***** products **** *********** ********* *** **** performance ****** **** *** ***** *** overall ************* ** *** *** *******, which **** ** ************ *********** ********* to ****** ***** ****.
Batteries ** ***** *******
*****’* ******* ***** ************** **** ** lithium-ion ********* ***** **** **** **** to ** *************** ******* ** ****** places *** **** ******* **/*. ******* than *********** *********, ************, *** ****-*******, lithium-ion ********* *** ******** **** ** a **** ***** ** ******** ***********.
***** *** ******** ** **** **** a ****** *** ******* ********. *******, IPVM *** ****** *** ** *** company’s****** *** ******* *** ******* *** **** ********* ********** ****** **********. *******, **********-***** ******* rights ************ ****-********** ********* *“**********” ** * ***** ******, ****** online, ***** ******** * “*** ****** *******-*** ************” *******.
**** ** ********** **** ******* ** the ***** *********, ***** ******* **** Flock ******** ******* ******** **** **** Manufacturing *** ** ******* *******-*** ********* from *** ****** ** *** *******.
Refurbished ******* ***********
********* ** *** *********, ***** “*********** supply ***** ******, ********* ** ** sending ** **** **** ****/*********** *** batteries *** **** ********* **** **** to ******** *** *********** *** ****/*********** batteries **** *** ***** ******** *******.” \
********* ** ************ ********** ** *** refurbished ********* **** ****** *** *** fire. *** ********* *********:
** *** ******** *****, ***** *** PHD **** ** ****** **** ***** thatthe ********* *** ******** ** ******** ** ****-**** **** ************.** ** ***** *** **, **** a **** ********** ****** * *** battery ***** *** ******* ** * charging ***** ****** *** ******** **** of *** **** **** ********.The **** ****** ** ***** ****, ***** *** **** ****** ********** *** *************** ****** ** **** ****’* ******** personal ******** *** ******** *********. [******** Added.]
*** ******* **** *** ******* **** exactly ***** ********* ***** ********* ****-**** to *** *** *********** *********. *******, given **** ****** ****** ***** *********** began ****** *****-** *********, ** ******** in**** ** ****** ******** ******, *** *** ** *********** ********* could **** **** ** *** ******** years.Flock ************* ************** ** ******* ** **** ***** the ********* *** ******* **** *** whether *** *********** ** *** ********* were ********.
Motivations *** ******* *********
**** *** ********** ****** *********, ***** likely *** ***** ******** ** ******* increasing ******** *******. ******* *** *** batteries *** **** ************* *********** *** company’s ******* ** **** ***** *******, eventually ******** *** *******’* ******** ************* and ********* ** ***** ***** – or **** ** ******** ** *** competitors **** ** ******** *** *******.
**** ****** ***** ******, ***** *** also ** *** ***** *** $*** ******* ****** * ******* round*** ******* ******, * ***** ***** ****/** ********** firm, ****** ************* *******, ********* ** ******** ****. *** round ******* *** *******’* ***** ******* to $*** ******* *** *** ********* to $*.* ******* – $*** ******* higher **** *******’*.
***** ******** ** **** ******* *** handle *** *********** ** *******, ***** it **** ** “******** ** **** annual ****.”
“***** ****** ** ****** ********** *** health ** **** ******. ** **** automated ****** ****** **** **** ** if **** ****** ***** *********,” *** company ****** *** *******.
*** **** *********: “** **** ****** is ******* ** ******, ** **** replace *** **** ** * *** according ** *******-******* ********* ******.”
*** ****** ***** ***** ********* *** never **** ******* ***** ******* ******* refurbished *********, *** ***** ***** ** able ** *** **** ** **** break ****.
Risks *** *********, *****’* ********
**** ** ***** *** ******* **** out ********* ** ************** *********, ******** problems **** ***** ******* ***** ****** damage ******** ********. * ******* ***** for ***** ** **** *** ******* will ***** ********* ** ******* *** license ****** ** ******* ******** “**/*.” A ****** ****** ***** ******* *** company **** ******* *** *******.
****** ******** **** ** *** ******* brought ** *** ************’* ******* **** raise ********* ***** *** *******’* ********** to ********* ****-******* ********. **** *** company ******* * ****** *** *********** over ***, *** ************* ********* ***** cause ******* ************ ******.
**** * ***** ***,****** ***** ** ** ***************** ***** *** ********* ******* ******* proper *******. ***** *********** ********* ** malfunctioning *********** ********* ******* ******** *** company *** **** ******** *********, *********** turning *** ******* ********* *** *********.
*** ***** ******** ** *** **** interface ** ***** ** ******, *** video *** ** ********* **** ******** images.
*** **** *** ***** ******* **** Video ** ** **** ** ** just * ****** ***** ** * car? **** **** ** **** **** it *****'* ******* *****.