Digital license plates have come to California
The talk across the country of late has been about digital license plates on all types of motor vehicles. Well, they have finally come to the state of California. So far, there are at least 100 digital license plates in use across the state. These new plates are considered to be “connected” and the message displayed on them can be changed by the driver of the vehicle or a fleet manager in Encino.
The plates will only be available through dealerships, not the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). They cost almost $700 apiece, so it’s not surprising that they haven’t become part of the mainstream yet in the state. If you do choose to buy one of these plates, you can register it online and have the plate information updated instantly. There is also a $7 monthly fee.
The digital license plate will be able to display more than just your license plate number. It can also display cause messages, such as “Support the Red Cross,” and even display Amber alerts. Want to make a little bit of money to offset the cost of buying such a plate? You can do so by running targeted ads on the license plate of your vehicle.
The location of the car is tracked by the plate, which is good for companies using them on their fleets. This means that the plate will report when and where a vehicle was speeding. The plates are only available for the rear of your vehicle. You still need to have a state-issued metal license plate on the front of your vehicle.
Digital license plates are likely the future of identifying vehicles by the general public and even law enforcement. Find out if you can put a digital license plate on your vehicle in California before making the purchase.
Source: SF Weekly, “California Now Has Digital License Plates,” May 30, 2018
