[RahulNagaraj]

Reviver, the company which manufactures digital license plates has received approval to sell in the state of Michigan, USA. Following Arizona and California, Michigan is now the third state in the country which has received the approval to sell digital number plates for vehicles.



While the high-tech number plates are currently sold only in the three states, they are legal for use across all 50 states, as well as Canada & Mexico. Reviver, claims that its digital plates could soon be available for sale in as many as 10 states in the near future.

Reviver offers two types of digital license plates. The first is battery-operated, while the second one is the hard-wired plate. Both types are available on a subscription basis, with the battery-operated plates offered for US$20 per month, while the hard-wired plates are offered at US$25 per month. The battery-operated digital number plates are required to get a battery replacement every 5 years.

The high subscription fees for the digital license plates are said to be offset by a number of benefits. These include the option for vehicle owners to customise their number plates, switch between light and dark modes, change banner messages and also display information and amber lights whenever required.

The digital plates also come with a built-in tracker system, sending an alert to the owner's smartphone whenever the car moves. Owners can also report their cars as stolen on the app, with the plates displaying a message alerting that the vehicle is stolen. Also, the digital license plate displays an 'invalid' message once the vehicle's registration expires.

Source: CarandDriver

Link to Team-BHP news

[amol4184]

That's some staggeringly expensive solution to a problem no one ever had.
None of the "benefits" that it comes with are unique or not already taken care by multiple other solutions.

Moreover, the dealers who sell these will get substantial revenue %. We all know what that means. In few years you can expect dealers to push these plates down everyone's throats whether they want it or not.

Nothing but a hungry cash grab under pretext of technology. I'll pay exactly $0 for this kind of "service". It's highway robbery.

[bordeaux]

This is capitalism at its best. Create solutions for the problems that never existed. The listed benefits are not benefits at all.

[theMAG]

This seems like the coffee model - charge $10 premium for coffee that tastes just normal with fancy sounding ingredients, while you get the same coffee for $ 2.5 - which still does its expected job of being good unpretentious coffee, in everyday brands.

To also put this into perspective, the $25/month subscription being charged for this digital license plate is significantly more than the yearly registration for personal vehicles in most US states, by a factor of 2X.

In today's hyperinflation that has hit middle-class America hard at the grocery stores and at the gas pumps, I would be very surprised if this digital license plate ever takes off.

[Livnletcarsliv]

Heights of capitalism at the heights of arrogance at the heights of selfishness.

Solution/Feature to some challenge that never existed neither will it exist in the future. A Rolls-Royce feature to Maruti/Hyundai/Tata/Mahindra customer (even if the customer has money to buy a Rolls-Royce).

[GTO]

Grossly overpriced, but I am sure prices will drastically fall once more players are approved & start selling it. Will become dirt-cheap, like most digital screens are today. Am sure someone will come out with really good-looking + well-priced options soon.

Am more concerned about durability (small fender bender and it'll break) and damage on rocks & chips on the highway. Front plates are the first point of impact.

For now, I'd spend the money instead on a customised vanity plate:

Source

[DeKay]

Requires a 4 year subscription.

The battery-powered plate costs $19.95 a month for 48 months for a total of $957.60. Or $215.40 a year for four years for a total of $861.60

The wired plate costs $24.95 a month for 48 months for a total of $1,197.60. Or $275.40 a year for four years for a total of $1,101.60. Professional installation costs $150.

A fool is born every minute.

[turbospooler]

Originally Posted by DeKay

Requires a 4 year subscription.

The battery-powered plate costs $19.95 a month for 48 months for a total of $957.60. Or $215.40 a year for four years for a total of $861.60

The wired plate costs $24.95 a month for 48 months for a total of $1,197.60. Or $275.40 a year for four years for a total of $1,101.60. Professional installation costs $150.

So, let me get this straight, the hard wired one will get the juice from the car, draining the ICE car / EV battery AND they get to charge me more for that?!

Where do I sign up ?

[Comrade]

So what exactly is wrong with physical plates??

[edunata]

I never knew, such a thing exists at all.

But, I am unable to understand, why should i pay for such a thing, that, actually invades my privacy!

This thing sounds like, the GPS locator, that the Govt. is trying to install in our cars, in the name of Toll Tax collector.

[gary]

First world issues and then some. Most cars already have GPS, so why would you pay this kind of money for tracking your own car. And I am sure thieves can disable these easily, whether it's battery powered or hard-wired to the car.

[dsuman]

The only advantage I see here is the STOLEN message displayed on the Vehicle plates. A Vehicle plying on roads with a digital message showing the vehicle is stolen is a huge deterrent. Off course all this is assuming the Plate is Tamper Proof.