Author Topic: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.  (Read 2470 times)

Offline Tom

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Came across this for California drivers.  Article with YouTube link.  Full article.  https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/30/17409112/digital-license-plates-california-reviver-auto

Digital license plates finally hit the road in California

At $699 a pop, these digital displays don’t come cheap




"Five years after California governor Jerry Brown signed legislation authorizing digital license plates to be sold in his state, the new-fangled digital display boards are finally hitting the streets. According to The Sacramento Bee, the new plates began rolling out this week, and unsurprisingly, they don’t come cheap.

Motorists who choose to buy the digital plates can register their vehicles electronically and eliminate the need to physically stick tags on their license plates each year, which could save the state money. The digital plates come with their own computer chips, batteries, and wireless communication systems. They also may be able to display personal messages — if the DMV decides to allow that.

Dealerships are expected to sell the plates for an eye-popping $699, not including installation costs. Users also must pay a monthly fee of about $7. The plates are not available through the Department of Motor Vehicles. At present, digital plates are only permitted on the rear of the vehicle. California also requires front plates, so owners still must mount a standard plate there.

A spokesperson for the DMV said there are only 116 vehicles with digital plates currently. Under the pilot, the department must report back to the state legislature by July 2020 about how the plates are performing. “The purpose of the pilot is to identify and detail potential benefits, so we are still in the evaluation phase and won’t make any determinations until the pilot concludes,” the spokesperson added.

Bay Area company Reviver Auto is the sole contractor on the pilot. The firm makes the plate, and it’s beginning to market it for sale at auto dealerships. Later this year, digital plates are also expected to roll out in Florida, Arizona, and Texas.

Neville Boston, founder of Reviver Auto, told the Bee he expects initial interest to come from companies for their vehicle fleets:

    Some businesses will use them as mini-billboards to advertise their products or services, he said, but will be able to do so only when the vehicle is stopped. The license plate number will still appear on the screen when messages pop up, but it will be smaller and tucked into the upper right corner of the screen.

As with all new technology, cybersecurity and hacking are a concern. While the ability to track a vehicle’s location using the plate’s wireless communication system may be ideal for fleet owners, individual drivers may balk at the idea. The DMV spokesperson deferred questions about privacy to Reviver Auto. We’ll update this story when we hear back from the company."



From the Deep Deep South out in left field.  There are no stupid questions.  There are however stupid people asking questions.  🤣, this includes me.  😉

Offline Lannis

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2018, 01:55:30 PM »
Alexa and Siri are going to start stealing cars and joyriding in them, I can see it now ....
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Offline Two Checks

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2018, 02:23:13 PM »
How does not issuing stickers save money? You pay for them!
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Offline Lannis

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2018, 02:29:26 PM »
How does not issuing stickers save money? You pay for them!

Yebbut, "Reviver Auto" wasn't getting any of that .... so this is better.   Not to mention the "tracking" part.

There's everything to be said for it.

Lannis
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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2018, 02:29:26 PM »

Offline pmillar

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #4 on: June 05, 2018, 02:53:58 PM »
Who on earth would pay good money to enable their government to (more easily) track them?

Of course folks welcome eaves dropping devices into their homes (Alexa, etc) but at least those offer some functionality as part of the deal.
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Offline Lannis

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #5 on: June 05, 2018, 05:03:20 PM »
Who on earth would pay good money to enable their government to (more easily) track them?


Thousands of Swedes have had chips implanted in their hands (sort of like I did with my dog) so that they are more easily tracked through public transit, at work, etc.

Thus my dog has now undergone two procedures that I wouldn't let anyone do to me.   I don't think I'd let anyone talk me into it, though.   I have a choice; he (being a good obedient dog) does not ... !

Lannis
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Offline Yeahoo Whoyah

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #6 on: June 05, 2018, 05:27:10 PM »
I suppose this technology makes some sense and likely be adopted by fleet vehicle operators.  Yesterday I heard the City of Sacramento is installing them on 24 of their electric cars.  I expect this may become the next status symbol for those folks driving a Tesla.  For me, I will always prefer the stamped aluminum plates made just down the hill at FSP (Folsom State Prison). 
Greg Tillitson
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Offline Tom

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #7 on: June 05, 2018, 08:31:57 PM »
Some of the auto insurers are doing the digital tracking to be hooked up to your car's ecu for "better" rates.  Not sure if I'd like to do that too.
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Offline Zoom Zoom

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #8 on: June 06, 2018, 05:12:16 AM »
700 bucks and then 7 bucks every month 🙄 I don't think so!

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Offline antmanbee

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #9 on: June 06, 2018, 05:27:18 AM »
This is the first step into them tracking every mile you drive and taxing by miles driven rather than or in addition to gas tax.

Offline Murray

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #10 on: June 06, 2018, 05:43:09 AM »
Who on earth would pay good money to enable their government to (more easily) track them?

Of course folks welcome eaves dropping devices into their homes (Alexa, etc) but at least those offer some functionality as part of the deal.

I'm assuming you are the sort of chap that has gone through all the privacy settings on your phone and turned off location services and sharing location and data plenty don't and its far more accurate than been associated with a vehicle.

Online blackcat

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #11 on: June 06, 2018, 07:35:16 AM »
I'm assuming you are the sort of chap that has gone through all the privacy settings on your phone and turned off location services and sharing location and data plenty don't and its far more accurate than been associated with a vehicle.

Exactly.

Since 9/11, there are so many tracking camera's in NYC set up to scan license plates that NY's finest can tell you within a few minutes where you have been driving at any point in time,  and that is with the standard run of the mill stamped license plate.
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Offline Lannis

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #12 on: June 06, 2018, 07:39:51 AM »
Exactly.

Since 9/11, there are so many tracking camera's in NYC set up to scan license plates that NY's finest can tell you within a few minutes where you have been driving at any point in time,  and that is with the standard run of the mill stamped license plate.

That's pretty easy to get away from.   

I'll never have any reason in my life to go to a ... place like NYC.    And if you don't carry an electronic leash around with you, no one can track you with it.

We're always "doing it to ourselves" and then complaining that someone else is doing something to us ...

Lannis
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Online blackcat

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #13 on: June 06, 2018, 08:56:02 AM »
That's pretty easy to get away from.   

I'll never have any reason in my life to go to a ... place like NYC.    And if you don't carry an electronic leash around with you, no one can track you with it.

We're always "doing it to ourselves" and then complaining that someone else is doing something to us ...

Lannis

Every large city in this country is doing this or are using or will be using vehicles equipped with plate scanners.
 
"I'll never have any reason in my life to go to a ... place like NYC."

I understand, personally I get bored within a day or two of rural country life.



When you see one of these in your local town, you've probably been scanned.
« Last Edit: June 06, 2018, 08:58:49 AM by blackcat »
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Offline Sasquatch Jim

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #14 on: June 06, 2018, 09:12:30 AM »
An absolutely dumb move for anyone who buys into this.
 I can only hope it gets someone un-elected.
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Offline screamday

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #15 on: June 06, 2018, 09:16:12 AM »
Every large city in this country is doing this or are using or will be using vehicles equipped with plate scanners.
 
"I'll never have any reason in my life to go to a ... place like NYC."

I understand, personally I get bored within a day or two of rural country life.



When you see one of these in your local town, you've probably been scanned.

Yep.....West Columbia, SC has those scanners on the majority of it's patrol cars. They even have them on those mobile speed warning signs that they place at random around town.
Tony in SC
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Offline Lannis

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #16 on: June 06, 2018, 09:38:12 AM »
Every large city in this country is doing this or are using or will be using vehicles equipped with plate scanners.
 
.......

I understand, personally I get bored within a day or two of rural country life.


I'm 100% for that; someone has to populate those places, and enjoy it, or it would be like that here.   Our little tax base doesn't support scanners on police cars, so there's that to look forward to.

Lannis
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Offline Johncolleary

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #17 on: June 06, 2018, 09:52:29 AM »
Before long they will use the data from them to issue speeding tickets, parking tickets and who knows what else.
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Offline screamday

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Re: Digital license plates finally hit the road in California.
« Reply #18 on: June 06, 2018, 10:05:43 AM »
Before long they will use the data from them to issue speeding tickets, parking tickets and who knows what else.

Policeman's ball tickets??  :boozing: :boozing:
Tony in SC
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