Digital License Plates Roll Out with Cool New Features, But There's a Big Catch That Might Stop You
Motorists in Michigan can now install digital license plates that users can control via smartphone on their vehicles.
State authorities granted the tech company Reviver permission for their digital license plates to be sold and used by motorists in the state, the California-based company announced in a Friday news release.
Michigan has joined California and Arizona in permitting the legal sale and registration of the digital license plates, MLive reported.
According to Reviver’s website, the company provides two offerings in its Rplate line. One is a battery-powered digital license plate, and the other is a hard-wired variant.
Both have a monochromatic high-definition display with options for plate personalization.
Both come with tamper-proof mounting, theft prevention features, and secure cloud communication.
The battery-powered variant is equipped with Bluetooth, whereas the hard-wired one comes with GPS.
The products can operate between -40°F to +185°F. They have chemically strengthened lenses that are six times stronger than regular glass.
Reviver says the Rplate is heatproof, waterproof, and freezeproof and can withstand collisions.
The product is offered as a subscription that starts at $19.95/month for the battery-powered variant. The hard-wired model starts at $24.95/month.
At four-year subscriptions, that means the prices come to between about $960 and $1,200.
“Both devices offer users a new platform to connect their vehicle with a set of services including registration renewal, vehicle location services, and security features such as easily reporting it stolen,” the company said in the news release.
Reviver offers a similar offering for commercial vehicle operators who own multiple vehicles.
Rfleet builds on Rplate’s offering by providing companies a single dashboard to monitor their vehicles on the road, alongside fleet-wide registration, payment, and renewals.
The high costs for the Rplate might put off some motorists for the time being.
Furthermore, the fact that the product is authorized only in California, Arizona, and Michigan means that aspiring users in other states would have to live in those states (or be prepared to move).
These two factors might be a big catch for those considering the digital plate.
“Drivers deserve a modern licensing solution that works for the way we live today. We are beyond excited to make digital license plates available to all drivers in Michigan,” Reviver co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Neville Boston said, according to the news release.
“I want to thank the state legislators and government representatives, as well as the many other transportation officials and partners throughout the state for working with us to help make this a reality – we are thrilled to reach this milestone,” the Reviver executive added.
The process of getting the approval for the use of Reviver’s digital license plates in-state dates back to 2018 when the Michigan state legislature passed a bill (Public Act 656 of 2018) granting authorization for the use of digital license plates in the state, according to WDIV-TV.
More than 10 other states, including Colorado, are in the process of authorizing digital license plates, according to the company.
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