EzPass toll tags being read outside toll areas is very common through out the tri-state area. The project mahyarm mentioned below is called "Midtown in Motion" where the tags are used to control the traffic light timing dynamically throughout the day (with humans overseeing too). You can find the readers placed usually behind information signs that are mounted on gantries or just plain in the open on traffic lights: https://b-i.forbesimg.com/kashmirhill/files/2013/09/Screen-S...

The other uses for the tag data include generating real time travel time to NYC airports from certain location in the metro area, as well as the data is fed into planning and road maintenance authorities.

Finally related to the article about taking a picture of every car, this is really nothing new as every car that drives into Manhattan has its plate read regardless of which bridge or tunnel you take, and those ALPR's are operated by NYPD... https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/20/Brookyn_Bridg...

Read more here: https://www.aclu.org/blog/free-future/newly-obtained-records...

I've seen those in NYC and don't doubt it, I'm talking about the Bay Area though.

I've seen a video of someone who rewired their transponder in NYC and showed it actually got scanned at every second intersection. You can do something similar with yours. I'm not too worried about it per se, since a camera can do something similar.

I'm pretty sure this is the talk you're thinking of.[0]

[0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZxKlFV0chw