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Transportation Digital

California Legalizes Digital License Plates, With $1,100 Price Tag (bloomberg.com) 90

Posted by BeauHD from the smart-plates dept.
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: California's roads just got a little smarter with the passage of a bill that paves the way for the sale of digital license plates across the state. The technology allows for emergency messaging like marking the car stolen or indicating an Amber Alert, and can be personalized through an app with touts like "Go Warriors" or "Go Lakers" to cheer on the local sports teams. The pesky task of car registration also will become easier with DMV auto-renewals, eliminating the need for registration cards and stickers. California-based startup Reviver is the only company offering digital license plates right now, and they're expensive, costing up to $1,100 for four years for a hard-wired version. (The cost for a traditional license plate, registration card and sticker totals $69, according to state's DMV.) A battery-powered version is available for an about $20 per month subscription, or $215 a year, for four years. Privacy advocates have concerns that the devices could be hacked and tracked. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has also been "fighting for years to restrict police from using automated license plate readers to surveil neighborhoods for location data that can detect travel patterns of targeted vehicles," reports Bloomberg.

Despite this, Reviver has continued to expand to Arizona and Michigan, where digital license plates are already approved.
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California Legalizes Digital License Plates, With $1,100 Price Tag More

California Legalizes Digital License Plates, With $1,100 Price Tag

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  • auto DMV renewals (Score:5, Insightful)

    by bugs2squash ( 1132591 ) on Thursday October 13, 2022 @05:04PM (#62964431)
    The amount of crap you need to carry around is ridiculous. For heavens sake, have the DMV and the insurance company just update the police computer to tell them that XYZ-123 is tagged and insured.

    • Re:auto DMV renewals (Score:5, Interesting)

      by superdave80 ( 1226592 ) on Thursday October 13, 2022 @05:06PM (#62964439)
      You mean the two small pieces of paper (insurance, registration) is too much of a burden for you and your glove box?
      • His friend is morbidly obese.

      • It is burdensome.

        They don't just need to be carried, they need to be up-to-date (I think my insurer sends me a new card every 3 to 6 months) and not buried under all the other junk in my glove compartment.

        The police officer needs to pull you over to see them which doesn't always go well. And, tbh, I actually would like the police to be able to spot uninsured motorists easily.

        • Re: (Score:3)

          by Xenx ( 2211586 )

          The police officer needs to pull you over to see them which doesn't always go well. And, tbh, I actually would like the police to be able to spot uninsured motorists easily.

          They would still need to know the identity of the person driving the vehicle, to know whether they're insured or not. There is no guarantee that the owner is the one behind the wheel, that the person behind the wheel has/hasn't been exempted from the owners insurance, or if the driver has their own non-owners policy that would apply. That isn't to say that it wouldn't be helpful if/when you get pulled over. It just shouldn't be actionable info before you're pulled over.

          • Re: (Score:2)

            by suutar ( 1860506 )

            In a lot of places, it's the vehicle, not the driver (yes, this means if you lend your car to your friend and they break something with it, your insurance gets to deal with it. They may go after your friend, but still).

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by Xenx ( 2211586 )
              I'm generalizing, but my point was more that there are situations where it's not ideal to assuming the driver is uninsured based on the vehicle. Generally, in the US, the driver would be covered under the auto insurance of the owner. However, the owner can lower their rates by excluding housemates/kids/spouse so they won't be authorized to drive it.

        • Re: (Score:3)

          by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

          And, tbh, I actually would like the police to be able to spot uninsured motorists easily.

          I think the driving public in general would love to know if someone is uninsured. Perhaps with flashing lights and all that so we can avoid them. (If they're uninsured, they're either shitty drivers who can't afford the insurance, broke people who can't pay for insurance, or basically someone you don't want to encounter because in the end, they will cost you money).

        • > They don't just need to be carried, they need to be up-to-date (I think my insurer sends me a new card every 3 to 6 months) and not buried under all the other junk in my glove compartment.

          This sounds like you lack basic organizational skills. A simple envelope would suffice, and you could even tape it to the top of the compartment so it doesn't get buried.

          > The police officer needs to pull you over to see them which doesn't always go well.

          You will never get pulled over just to have your documents ch

          • There is no reason you should have to have any of that shit. The state has both your license and registration info in an always-online database. When the cops look up your license they get your insurance status, which is linked to registration status. At least they do in California, and I keep hearing about how this state is incompetent so surely they can manage that anywhere, right?

            • "At least they do in California" is the operative clause here. You're insane if you believe data will flow freely across state lines.

              Why fix what's not broken? Boo hoo, two index cards in the glovebox. Better than losing it in the house when you actually need the physical document, because you'll need it for more than just traffic stops.
              =Smidge=

          • "You will never get pulled over just to have your documents checked."

            You've never been black in the US. I have definitely been pulled over illegally several times. Handled them all well though. A shame that my parents had to have a "how to (not) interact with the police." discussion with me.

            "Regardless, your automated document system falls apart the instant you cross state lines"

            States already share information. A friend of mine, in early 2000's, got snagged for a lapsed registration from the state of Maryl

        • I keep mine in a ziploc baggie that is easy to pull out when needed. And cops love pulling people over for fixit tickets. Gives them something to do.

        • Uninsured motorist protection was the first thing that came to mind. There are WAY more of these people than you may think.

      • When you have multiple cars, and you have to change it out every 6 months...yeah, it's a bit annoying. When the DMV already knows your insurance and registration status...it's pointless paper shuffling. When any "administrative" shortcoming on your part, is an excuse for a cop to hassle you...it's a problem. They already have the info based on the government issued plate on the back of your car...so yeah, why do you have to "prove" it to them with a laser printed scrap of paper?

        There are 286.9 million re

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by Ksevio ( 865461 )

          In Massachusetts we don't carry insurance information since all cars are required to have insurance. Seems like registration could also be removed just as easily since that can just be looked up.

          • Insurance is required for registration in GA, and the DMV will send you a notice if it lapses...so you know full well it's all tied together in their database. But, the cops still throw a hissy fit, and threaten to fine you if you don't have proof of insurance. They generally don't, but they still go on that little antagonistic power trip that leaves one feeling all warm-and-fuzzy about the police. (not that I have that many run-in's with them...several years between. But...plenty of anecdotes to go aro

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by k6mfw ( 1182893 )
        my problem is those two pieces of paper can be difficult to find among all the other stuff. Actually I do carry gloves in the glove box too.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Holi ( 250190 )
        You forgot your license. See it is hard.
      • Now, now... bear in mind many new electric vehicles don't have glove boxes!

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      They do that in the UK, the insurance companies update a database and the police use number place scanning to automatically alert them if a car without insurance is spotted.

      Unfortunately it works a bit too well. You see regular complaints from people who bought insurance, but for some reason the insurer decided to cancel it and before they even found out the police prosecuted them for driving without insurance. The most common reason for cancelling is that the insurance company decided it didn't like one of

      • OK, so make it illegal for the insurance company to terminate your insurance without notifying you via a contact method of your choosing, though checking it is your responsibility.

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          They are supposed to notify you, but snail mail takes days to arrive and phone numbers can be typoed. Email goes in spam sometimes.

          And even if they do contact you immediately, you are kinda screwed. Maybe you are at work and now can't drive home unless you get new insurance, which is going to cost you a fortune because if you answer "have you ever had insurance cancelled" with a yes then most insurers won't touch you, or will quadruple the premium.

          When policies get cancelled you can usually get them uncance

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by mjwx ( 966435 )

      The amount of crap you need to carry around is ridiculous. For heavens sake, have the DMV and the insurance company just update the police computer to tell them that XYZ-123 is tagged and insured.

      Not sure about the US, but the amount of crap I *need* to carry around is minimal. Technically I don't need to carry anything here in the UK, I don't even need my driving license even when driving (I carry it anyway because it's a good idea). What I have in my wallet is:

      1 x UK driving license.
      2 x bank cards.
      1 x Oyster card (for London public transport that I haven't used in 5 years).
      1 x expired Krisflyer card (the new cards are "electronic", I keep it just for the fun of it and I can never remember my

  • Hard pass (Score:5, Insightful)

    by TuballoyThunder ( 534063 ) on Thursday October 13, 2022 @05:05PM (#62964435)
    I don't see the value of paying an additional $400+/year when a metal license plate works just fine.
    • The State does, to the tune of $400+ /year.

      • The state? From the story, this sounds like it's a private company under license from the state. They probably pay a decent dividend to their guy at the DMV though.

    • Same logic applies to vanity plates, and there's been a market for them for nearly a hundred years. Some people just don't have anything better they'd rather do with their money. /shrug

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

      I don't see the value of paying an additional $400+/year when a metal license plate works just fine.

      Exactly. I don't get the point of a digital license plate. They cost a lot more money over a regular one, they have monthly subscription fees and what do we get in return? Just the ability to not need to put a sticker on the plate every year? Is that really worth $400/year?

      Though, many places have also got rid of the need for a yearly sticker - with things like license plate readers and such able to query the

    • when a metal license plate works just fine.

      A metal or plastic plate works even better: it does not provide a constant drain on your battery. The major advantage of an electronic display over a physical one is that it is easy to change and yet the main function of a licence plate means that it should not change.

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

        It probably has very little effect on your battery. If the display isn't ePaper, it's likely a very low power LCD. The cellular modem only needs to power up once a day, or once every few hours at most. The amount of energy used is tiny compared to the size of your car battery, and in the case of a fossil car what is needed to crank the engine.

      • The plate has a built-in battery. Your car will run with a dead plate. You'll get pulled over and cited to fix your dead license plate battery.

        • Which provides the police one more opportunity for civil asset forfeiture.
        • Great so while you can change your licence plate number easily - something that I suspect most of us only do when we buy a new car - you now have to replace a battery on a regular basis and if it dies a long way from home you may end up with a fine. How exactly is this better than a simple metal plate?

  • Aston Martin as pictured on their Shitter feed. [twitter.com]

    Oh, right, I don't have a car at all and I would never pay a subscription fee for a fucking license plate beyond the bare minimum gov't-gun-to-head requirement.

    I'm sure these will be wildly popular with rich douchebags.

  • Car makers could just design them into the car at this point, and your car will be locked from moving until updated with an up to date registration... You know this is coming.

  • Why is it necessary for the plates to change? Here the only time you ever need to change what your number plate says (i.e. excluding replacing damaged ones) is if you get a personalised number plate. We used to have paper "tax discs" that showed if you had paid the yearly tax but those were done away with years ago; if the police want to check if a vehicle is taxed they need only look it up on the database using the registration number on the plates.

    Also, showing "GO TEAM!" where your reg number ought to be

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by suutar ( 1860506 )

      I saw one of these in the wild a couple of days ago. The personalized phrase is in smaller letters below the registration number.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by Xenx ( 2211586 )

      Why is it necessary for the plates to change?

      It's not. It's basically an enhanced vanity plate situation. If you have the money, they're offering a new way to waste it.

      if the police want to check if a vehicle is taxed they need only look it up on the database using the registration number on the plates.

      That should be the case, but they require the tags to be displayed on the plate and easy to recognize whether they're current. At least there is the "benefit" that they're able to determine if the plate of a moving vehicle is current without taking the time to check the database.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by PPH ( 736903 )

      Why is it necessary for the plates to change?

      I don't know. But for a while, my state was issuing me new number plates every couple of years. No reason why. But I have enough cars that I'd start forgetting the current plate numbers on some of them.

      After a while, I ran into a cop friend of mine and asked him about it. He said he didn't know. I said, "Good. It makes it easier for me to stalk someone. They see a suspicious vehicle and write the number down. Next time, nope. Different number. They must be imagining things."

      They stopped changing my plates

    • The plates change how they look if the reg expires, insurance expires, associated amber/silver alert, etc...

    • net you some points on your license

      Is that a thing in California? I know they have it in Europe, but I've never heard of that sort of system being used in the US.

      • 41 out of 50 states have points system for moving violations. In California [dmv.org] you get your license suspended if you get four minor infractions (small speeding tickets) or two larger infractions (reckless driving, big speeding ticket) or whatever combination of those adds to to 4 points in 12 months (or 8 points in 36 months). Most of the minor infractions can have the point removed or the ticket dismissed if you attend traffic school. Points go away after time (3-10 years) depending on the nature of the ticke

  • Hackability aside .... (Score:3)

    by King_TJ ( 85913 ) on Thursday October 13, 2022 @05:20PM (#62964497) Journal

    WHY would anyone think this is a remotely good idea? I mean, next, can we spend $1000+ for a digital board to display virtual refrigerator magnets on the fridge door?

    It's a simple license plate. All it does is displays your unique set of 7 or so letters and numbers that lets them look up if you've properly registered your vehicle and who you are. Involves turning a couple of screws to remove one and swap it with a new plate, when needed.

    Even if it was free to swap one with a digital plate? Now you're talking about a solution that needs a reliable power source to do the same thing the regular plate did without it. What if the battery fails in a battery powered version of one? Can't wait to have THAT discussion with the cop who pulls you over for failure to display your plate and wants to write you a ticket.

    • Douchebags in BMWs and Teslas will be clamoring to flaunt their wealth and "technology" by buying these.

    • WHY would anyone think this is a remotely good idea?

      The state thinks it's genius because they can sell them to rich fucks who will put it on their SUV and then back it into the tongue of their boat... and then buy another one.

    • Holy crap. Can I have a virtual fridge thing? Hang up my nieces' art work virtually. No papers and magnets flapping around and falling off anymore. Can clear it off instantly when company comes over.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Mryll ( 48745 )

      Eventually it will be crypto locked to your engine and the car won't run without its permission.

  • "The technology allows for emergency messaging like marking the car stolen or indicating an Amber Alert, and can be personalized through an app with touts like "Go Warriors" or "Go Lakers" to cheer on the local sports teams"

    Instead of changing the message above the actual numbers and letters, why not change the letters themselves.

    If the car is normally XRV 132, and you overtake RAG 431, then you could change the display on your own vehicle to read RAG 431 as you put your foot down in an area with speed came

    • I'm sure I can think of a lot of fun messages to display on my digital license plate but, I'm sure the owner of the vehicle has zero control over the display. Some Geek expects me to pay a monthly fee for a billboard on my car, controlled by a Chinese company, so I don't have to send a check to the DMV once a year. Oh, and I can remove that colorful Lakers bumper sticker. I've been following this technology for awhile and the only problem this solves is sucking money out of my bank.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by suutar ( 1860506 )

      The customized phrase is in smaller letters under the "official" letters. Altering the official letters will take more effort and probably result in a hacking charge

  • and how long will it take ... (Score:4, Insightful)

    by renegade600 ( 204461 ) on Thursday October 13, 2022 @06:02PM (#62964609)

    I am wondering how long it will be before ads start appearing on it.

  • Next: Digital CA plates stolen by thieves (Score:3)

    by bustinbrains ( 6800166 ) on Thursday October 13, 2022 @06:32PM (#62964681)

    At $1,000 a pop, this will be the next most popular thing stolen off of cars after catalytic converters. At least with the catalytic converter gone, everyone in the neighborhood instantly knows as soon as the engine turns over. On the other hand, the owner won't know about their stolen plate until a cop pulls them over for not having plates.

  • 27 months ago, during the height of the Covid madness, we sold our house in Sacramento, Cacafornia and moved to San Antonio, TEXAS, and I am SO glad that we did. And we will never again visit the "Fools Gold State".

  • Hardwired license plate vs battery operated wireless?
    These asshats know it goes on a car... with its own generator and a battery that can supply hundreds of amps on board? ... Right?

  • Especially in areas with high vehicle theft. The cost may be offset by lower premiums.

    • What's the advantage over a system like LoJack, especially if it can disable the car remotely? License plates can be replaced much more easily than a hidden tracker and immobilizer.

      • They are different systems, and could both be used. LoJack isn't advertised, and is supposed to be hidden, and is a tracker. The plate is external and can be mounted in a hard-to-remove manner. $20/month for the license plate could be lower than the premium reduction in comprehensive insurance, especially for more expensive vehicles.

  • to market to all car owners to a company for a cut. Just the normal function of government which if corruption does not steal all savings+ could save the taxpayers money. My bet would be on corruption so this will end up costing the tax payers like most things government does.

  • When one of the thousands of white Honda Civics, or similarly common cars, is involved in a hit-and-run, there will be no way to identify it. Same thing for all getaway cars for other criminal actions.

    I wonder how much the legislators/governor cost to pass this insane idea into law.

  • Isn't California full of people insisting that inequality is terrible?

  • What problem are we trying to solve here?

    • The problem is that not absolutely everything in California is screwed up yet. That must be fixed.

  • Saw one at least 6mo ago and thought to myself how incredibly stupid of an idea it was
  • Yes, but how can I get blockchain with that?

    Can I NFT it?

    How will it integrate with my license plate in the Metaverse?


    The article doesn't even touch on these important issues.

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