Today on “solutions to problems no-one ever thought existed”, digital license plates.
The US state of California is trialing digital license plates on cars, in place of the regular pressed metal flavor. The test plates are rather similar in terms of technology to the Amazon Kindle e-Reader.
Created by Reviver Auto in Foster City, California, the “RPlate Pro” displays the vehicle’s registration mark just as clearly as a traditional plate and comply with the required standards on reflectivity. That means there’s no escaping the flash of a speed camera, sorry.
Each of the digital plates will set you back $699 if you buy one from a dealership. You’ll also face a $7 monthly service fee, if you choose to be one of the 0.5% of folk allowed to participate in the trial. The City of Sacramento is the first to engage in a fleet trial, with 24 new electric cars getting digital plates — reportedly supplied for free by Reviver.
At this point you’re almost certainly asking why this is even a thing. The first key point is convenience: the digital plate cuts down on the line at the DMV. Using the plate’s connectivity features, users can renew their registration online, instantly. Sounds pretty good so far.
The digital plate can also be used for other stuff too. Although legally the plate would have to show the car’s registration while driving, there’s no real limit to what it can display when parked up. Reviver suggests that the plates could show messages for other road users, or traffic information. Or, of course, advertising.
Another benefit is that the plate is equipped with a GPS locator. That means that if your car is pinched, authorities can track it to speed up recovery. Or, more likely, bring your plates back to you after the thieves removed them while stealing your car.
That may set some alarm bells ringing if you’re a fan of privacy. In concept, the plates could help track your car all the time, and rat on your driving standards to nearby police cars. That’s even without the implications of having your license plate hacked. Who even knew that would be a thing by 2018?
Sacramento has assured its public officials that it will not use its plates to track the drivers, but it is still a valid concern if you live in a less democratic place. On an unrelated note, Dubai is also trialing these plates…
The California trial will run through to July 2020, to determine if there’s any long-term advantages. We hope not.
