Ford to be First Manufacturer to Offer Digital Number Plates

Here’s what Automologist MAC thinks about the idea…

It looks like a number plate to me…

We first saw the new digital number plates from Reviver all the way back in 2016 when the company managed to gain Californian State approval for use on the road. My first thought was the whole idea was technology for technology’s sake. For what possible reason would you want a digital number plate? After all, you cannot just change your number on a whim and I am sure that there must be some sort of locking feature to stop the misuse of them.

It is not like the license plate is even remotely sexy. It is what it is and is governed by numerous laws on how and where and when it must be displayed. So, how could any company launch such a mundane piece of electronic wizardry and declare their mission is “to modernise the driving experience”. Strewth, what the heck does a license plate have to do with the driving experience. Surely only a narcissistic knucklehead would want one.

But disappear into the trash can of useless ideas it did not. Ford has now struck a deal with the California-based manufacturer that makes the digital number plate an official Ford Accessory Partner with its very own part number. So now if you buy a Ford in California, Arizona or Michigan, you too can opt to have one stuck on your car.

The company behind them would have you believe that the plate will appeal to those who want their cars to look as cutting-edge as possible, with the slick digital display. Apparently the benefits are more than cosmetic, though. There are GPS tracking and app assisted registration renewals (not much use in most countries).

So, how much do they cost? A mere USD19.95 per month for the battery version, whereby the battery is said to last five years, or USD24.95 per month for a hard-wired plate, which all seems like a lot of money for something we all just take for granted. There are some positives. For instance, if your car is stolen, you can remotely change the plate to STOLEN and there are some other public service messages that can be relayed, but me for one…NO SALE!