Service King North Lamar

What's the Deal: Digital License Plates?

A California-based automotive-industry startup recently unveiled a crazy concept with some potentially practical value: digital license plates!

Reviver Auto’s new RPlate Pro is being advertised as the first of its kind—a fully digital, internet-connected LCD screen license plate that gives drivers some intriguing new options, from smart-device vehicle registration to toggling back and forth between vanity plates. The Department of Motor Vehicles, in particular, may be salivating at the idea of automated digital vehicle registration, since it would likely lower costs on postage, materials, and labor.

RPlate Pro also offers interesting potential for advertising, emergency alerts display, or just plain old self-expression. As an added bonus, the RPlate Pro boasts an optional GPS tracking feature that could theoretically aid in automobile-theft recovery and even deterrence.

But as with all IoT technology, it represents a digital double-edged sword. Data collection opportunities provided by such a product could be attractive to any number of parties, from highway safety agencies to auto insurers to marketers. It also raises the increasingly controversial subject of data security and hacking of sensitive information. But Reviver maintains that its digital plate is protected by encryption mechanisms that rival those of online banking.

Welcome to our new digital future! Whether they should or should not exist is not up for debate—they’re here. Dealers may now legally sell the digital plates in a handful of states, including California, Arizona, Florida, and Texas, with other states scheduled to come on board soon. The plates run for $600 out the door and require a monthly service plan of around $8.

Whether you’re a regular customer or new to Austin, we encourage you to stop by Service King North Lamar to schedule an appointment, get a quote, or just chat with us about the latest in digital automotive technology!