The brass is going to run out
One of the typical gifts in the souvenir shops of USA Are the car license plates, both used (which adds a patina of authenticity to the plate) as new reproductions , ready to be hung in any room at home.
Well, those stamped brass elements that are still the main form of visual identification of cars around the planet may have their days numbered and definitely become 'vintage' objects if the pilot program that the company is carrying out California Auto Reviver it is satisfactory.
These are the new digital license plates, marketed under the name of Rplate Pro and that they have been testing experimentally since before the summer in the city of Sacramento.
At the moment they are around 300 vehicles that shine them , many of them dedicated to public service (ambulances, firemen, buses, taxis...) , although the manufacturing company hopes to extend them to some 175,000 before 2020, which is when the conclusions of this pilot experience will be presented.
What are the main innovations and advantages of these new license plates? According to the firm that produces them, "the Rplate Pro transforms the conventional 125-year-old die-cut metal license plate into a modern-looking multifunctional digital display and vehicle-connected platform, offering multiple services to businesses, government agencies and consumers." .
This translates into a rectangular device measuring 30 x 15 cm that is constantly connected to the internet via a wireless communication platform.
Each of these license plates has its own autonomous battery that recharges automatically and has a chip inside with mobile data that allows it to be permanently connected. In addition, it allows its 'customization' with personalized messages , what opens the door to advertising and sponsorship for individuals.
Of course, these messages can only be viewed when the engine is off and the car is parked. While there is movement, the system only allows the reading of the license plate number, as is logical. In the case of public service vehicles, the screen also allows you to add information about your itinerary or the type of task you perform.
optionally RPlate Pro makes available to the user a locator service to be able to know at all times the car location. A function that is very useful in the event of car theft, since the locator is immediately activated and it connects with the police, as if it were a remote alarm.
Of course, this use of data and positioning has also generated (once again with regard to new technologies) a heated debate on user privacy.
The truth is that "lifetime" license plates have their charm... especially in countries like the United States
Such a dimension has reached the controversy that the manufacturing company has been forced to release a statement in which it says:
"We take user privacy and data security very seriously. Users of Rplate Pro they can rest assured that their data, especially usage and telematics information, is never shared with the DMV (Department of Licensed Vehicles), the police or any other third party. Rplate Pro users can turn their telematics/location data on or off at any time . Telematics data is not uploaded to the Reviver Auto cloud infrastructure in the United States and are not available when the user disables the functionality of their app or our Rconnect website"
"Telematics data belongs to the user and is never sold to third parties. In addition to privacy, data security is equally important to us. Rplate Pro is locked down with integrity validation and secure elements to deter and detect any breaches or hacks. ".
In addition, they comment from Reviver Auto: "Reviver Auto's server infrastructure uses industry standard cloud infrastructure hosted on a virtual private network encrypted with 256-bit encryption keys, the same safety standards used in the online banking . Reviver Auto regularly performs audits and penetration tests to ensure their systems are secure."
The price of these digital license plates is 600 euros plus a monthly fee of another 6 euros for the locator device and the maintenance of mobile data.
From Sacramento they will spread to all of California and from there they plan to soon reach the states of Florida, Texas and Arizona. If the initiative succeeds, as everything indicates that it will, In the next few years these license plates will reach Europe and we will say goodbye to brass.