News

Digital License Plates – Only in California

Who said California isn’t working on creative ways to reduce it’s $1.3 Trillion budget deficit? Maxine Waters…Nancy Pilosi? Well, the land of Silicon wafers and honey has come up with a new way to transform a $21 stamped metal vehicle license plate and turn it into a brand new electronic $700 recurring revenue center with the potential for display advertising revenue (when the vehicle is parked).

It’s 2018…and the state of what was actually the original automotive information platform hasn’t changed since Massachusetts came up with this little bit of prison handicraft in 1903. We’re still getting stickers in the mail that we put on a piece of metal and then screw that on our car usually with wood screws because you lost the correct screws that came with your vehicle.

California’s new license plate is being first tested in Sacramento with a fleet of 24 in-house city owned vehicles. The digital display board allows updated messages to be controlled by the driver or remotely by fleet managers. Using the same computer technology as Kindle eBook readers, along with a wireless communication system…the new plates come with their own computer chips and battery.

What are it’s main advantages?

Electronic Registration & Renewals
Electronic Transfer of Ownership

Motorists who choose to buy the plate can register their vehicles electronically and eliminate the need to physically stick tags on their plates each year. They also may be able to display personal messages — if the DMV decides to allow that.

What’s the price tag on this cutting edge technology…that already has stoke up concerns about privacy and safety? A cool $700 (plus a monthly fee of about $7)…though not available through the DMV.