When it comes to the technology that is available with our cars it can be astounding. From satellite navigation and communication systems built in to heads-up display units to entertainment systems for the kids our cars seemingly have it all. But there was always one piece of old technology that we just can’t seemingly shake until now: our license plates.
Yes, that thin piece of metal that you get when you register your car that assigns you a unique series of numbers and letters. Yes, that set of numbers and letters that when announced over a loudspeaker at events leads to embarrassment as your car either needs to be moved or is the dirtiest car in the lot and needs to be cleaned (I am guilty of this one, parked the car under a tree and a thunderstorm hit that night and scared the you know what out of the birds!). Yes that piece of metal that has brought employment to correctional facilities across the nation to manufacture them, including here in Pennsylvania.
Digital license plates?
As drivers we may soon be kissing metal license plates as we know it goodbye. Foster City, California-based Reviver Auto (the only bidder when the contract was put up for bids in 2013) has announced a pilot program in Sacramento, California to equip 24 city government-owned Chevrolet Bolts with digital license plates. This technology was introduced there at the end of May and will be expanded to the rest of California as well as Arizona, Florida and Texas by the end of the year. These will not be available from the DMV and for now only work as a rear plate. Since California requires both a front and rear plate a metal one will still be needed.
The technology
These new license plates use the same technology as a Kindle reader does to display large numbers and letters on a screen. They have their own chips, batteries and wireless systems independent of the vehicle. These plates are also capable of paying tolls (goodbye EZ Pass!) and handling electronic registration (no more stickers). Since it is electronic and connected to the Internet the screen can also be changed if a car is stolen or for an amber or silver alert and it can be tracked as well. This could be helpful for company vehicles to keep track of their fleet vehicles and monitor electric of fuel usage as well as making sure that employees are doing what they are supposed to be doing. It has also sparked privacy concerns from the people since these are connected to the Internet of Things and are thus vulnerable.
The screens can also be used to broadcast emergency information like road closures or public news, which Sacramento has taken advantage of. Of course the downside is that these plates can also be used for advertising. That might be fine for the driver who doesn’t have to see it but the person behind may not want to see it or may find it distracting. As it becomes more commonplace the people will simply tune it out just like billboards and TV commercials. And of course there is always the possibility that these can be hacked. It is only a matter of time before someone does and uses a plate to warn people that Zombies are ahead, just like we saw here in York a few weeks ago.
Is it worth it?
One of these new plates is not cheap. They cost about $700 to buy with a monthly fee of $7 so this will not be for everyone just yet. There are of course a lot of questions as well ranging from privacy concerns to simply how well they will hold up to the wear and tear of the road. Since these can be configured to pay tolls access to a bank account is needed making this a new target for the criminal element on the Internet. Is it worth it right now for the convenience of automatically renewing a vehicle’s registration, paying tolls and displaying emergency information while providing no benefit to the actual driving of the car? That is up to the consumer but it does seem like the days of the metal license plate are numbered. It may be awhile though.