Ford pioneered digital license plates.
Reviver RPlate is available for purchase and installation through Ford’s accessories store or through a dealer.
It appears that Ford will be the OEM to break the mold and provide its customers with digital license plates. Ford and Reviver, the company that makes the RPlate Digital License Plate, came to an arrangement for the manufacturer to include the RPlate with a unique component number in Ford’s official accessories catalog. When purchasing a Ford at a dealership, a customer has the option to order a plate from the dealer’s in-store retail shop and have it installed, or they can order an RPlate online and have it delivered. Initially, only 300 Ford dealers in the states of Arizona, California, and Michigan will have the plates available for purchase. The RPlate has been approved for customer usage in these states. Though RPlates are currently only available for use in government and business fleets, drivers may nevertheless encounter them in Texas.
In 2018, after years of developing its digital plate and e-ink screen, Reviver began a pilot program with the state of California. The plate with a changeable battery cost roughly $699 at the time, with an additional $7 per month for servicing. Reviver is offering the same plate for $599 and an annual servicing package for $75, indicating that significantly reduced prices have come along with scale. A second plate option costs $749 plus $150 for installation and $95 a year for the service plan. It is connected to the vehicle’s electrical system and attached to the vehicle. The hardwired RPlate version is specifically designed for fleets, while the user-installed model’s battery is claimed to last for five years.
States that demand front plates would insist on an antiquated metal unit fastened to the front fascia because RPlates are now only placed on the back. Use of the plates is permitted in Canada, Mexico, and all 50 US states.
How come you would want one? I think aesthetics is the main motivation. Maybe you like the monochrome appearance of your automobile in either the light or dark mode over the other available plate selections. Additionally, you can add a customized message to appear on the bottom of the plate. The year and month that your registration is valid for are displayed on your digital display without the need for a sticker when you set up “renewal” to occur automatically and pay via an app. According to Reviver, their plates can function in temperatures ranging from minus 40 to 176 degrees Fahrenheit. Depending on the plate purchased, a person may be able to enjoy built-in GPS, real-time alerts when the car is moved, mileage tracking, and alerts about stolen vehicles via the app and the plate itself. Fully configurable banner messages, the capacity to use the license plate as a parking meter and virtual wallet, and simplified digital tolling capabilities that will be accessible across the country are among the features now under development.
The process of purchasing and owning a car is becoming more digital in less obvious locations as well. After being available in roughly 20 states, digital titles have been present for a little over 20 years, with the list expanding yearly. After going digital in West Virginia two years ago, Champ Titles and partner Tyler Technologies opened a national e-title clearinghouse through the West Virginia DMV this year. This month, they received approval to set up an e-title system for Kentucky. Together, they have just rolled out digital titles and electronic liens throughout the middle of the country. In the same way that Reviver claims that its RPlate reduces the cost of metal plates and registration paperwork, Champ and Tyler report that West Virginia’s digital registrations “eliminated more than 5 million pieces of paper annually, reduced the processing time from 40-60 days to a matter of hours, and increased productivity with title clerks processing five times as many titles per day.”
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