Bumpers in Michigan are about to get a little more interesting, as state officials have officially approved the sale and use of digital license plates. Michigan joins Arizona and California in approving the plates, and Texas has recently OK’d them for commercial/fleet vehicles.
It’s absolutely worth pointing out that these plates are optional—you’re totally still free to run a trusty metal plate.
Made by Reviver, these digital plates have some nifty features. For starters, you’re able to register and renew your plate instantly via the Reviver smartphone app. You can also customize the look of your plate.
There are standalone battery powered options, as well as plates that hard-wire into your vehicle’s 12V electrical system. Reviver says the plates are waterproof, can handle extreme temperatures and, thanks to a lens five times stronger than glass, rugged enough to withstand typical license plate abuse—though as of now, these plates are for the rear of the vehicle only.
Depending on the model you choose, you can also get other handy features including trip and mileage tracking, and a park and valet mode. Reviver says its “RPlates” boast plenty of security capabilities too, like a vehicle locator and can even add a “STOLEN” display if someone decides to take your ride on an unwelcome road trip. Thanks to 5G connectivity, these plates can also display Amber Alert activity.
In addition to the initial purchase cost, RPlates require a monthly subscription fee.
According to Reviver, other states are working on legislation to approve these plates too, namely Georgia, Colorado, and Florida.
Total Big Brother BS.
Just wait, people will be driving and their plate will show “EXPIRED” even though it’s not. They will blame an electronic “glitch” but that does nothing when your car is impounded.
Looks like an easy way for the state to track your speed.
Then they would just have to send you a ticket in the mail and save all that time for the police to write you up.