California may be first to get electronic license plates

[tipstir]

This would be an end to all the plates being taken off the cars and and sold for other uses. I've been in some states in the North East that have plates stolen. Up there people bolt their plates to the vehicle or stick it inside the vehicle in the rear glass. But that rear glass can get smashed just for the plate.

Freedom should not come into play. We need a better system today. I am for it! As my state keeps on changing the state plate just because they want too and charge you. So much if you want something fancier where no one really cares what your plate really looks like except you.

 

[tonylukac]

All those "illegal immigrants" can hack and get them. How do they drive anyway?

 

[dennis777]

Nice idea it has WiFi, add some Bluetooth and a 18megapixel camera... hope its water proof.

 

[oldikes]

Honestly I can't see this being infringing to freedoms in any way, and it certainly helps in discovering lost vehicles (if the thief is stupid enough to leave it on)
Honestly, it SHOULD have a camera on it, and could make backup cameras fairly standard on all cars.
These could cost less than $100 with a camera and say, a 320x640 screen. Less than that even maybe.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I don't know why they would spend time pissing with this concept.

Every car can be programmed to broadcast the VIN code. With this VIN broadcast, any officer can check their database for automobiles not licensed for highway use. Insurance records could also be tied into the same database. Anytime the automobile is serviced the VIN broadcast can be authenticated with the automobiles physical VIN code. The broadcast doesn't have to be long range and the patrol car can be automated to look for discrepancies, out of all the nearby automobiles and lock in on those signals.

 

[tipstir]

VIN can be removed... DMV cost going up and up.. Can only save on the cost by paying for two years of registration in advance online. Never in person the lines are ridiculous of course they have this new name system in place. Still titles and plates and now land taxes all at the same place ouch!

 

[cliffordcooley]

VIN can be removed...

So can license plates, no matter how technical they get. I don't see your point. Especially when your licenses plate is registered using the VIN code on record.

 

[Arris]

This could take away some of the drag introduced through the use of license plates.

Only if they are more aerodynamic than the standard plates

 

[Jad Chaar]

Only if they are more aerodynamic than the standard plates

Lol

 

[Emexrulsier]

Why do you renew plates every year in the US?? In the UK you buy a car with a registration mark and that's it nothing more to do unless you sell or transfer the car, then it's a simple case of letting the DVLA (Uk licensing agency) know the new keeper.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Why do you renew plates every year in the US??

Because our government will find anything to charge us repetitiously.

 

[Tygerstrike]

A great idea on paper. Execution however not to mention adoption is going to be slow. Mainly from what we have seen in just the posts here. ppl are too paranoid to introduce new tech to them. Reguardless of the fact that youre tracked everywhere you go everyday and have been since cellphones came out. Thats all besides the point. Where is the American spirit? Where is the American Fire?? Here we have a somewhat acceptable solution to a multitude of problems and ppl wont take it because they dont want to be tracked. Let me be the first to tell all those paranoid idjits this.....THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOU!!!! Them tracking you is no different from tracking a fly in flight. Or watching a train go by. Its information but definatly NOT related to what they are doing. YOU ARE NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH FOR THEM TO WASTE TIME AND MANPOWER TO TRACK YOU!!!
That being said, this is a good idea. Maybe not have the wifi on at all times but at designated areas such as mechanics, smog checks, tire changes. This would help Amber Alerts. This could help stop abductions. The level of problems this tech could solve is actually quite amazing. Its just sad that the fruits nuts and flakes of the world will make sure this tech gets no farther then its current state.

 

[mailpup]

Tygerstrike, please hold down the shouting.

 

[cliffordcooley]

I don't understand why such a big deal about using all caps. Now if the whole post was all caps or if it was directed at someone specific, I might would understand.

 

[gunste24]

More unnecessary costs. You can register and get your tags by mail in California - no need to go to the DMV offices. Most likely, such plates would have a chip in it so that you can be identified in passing - privacy.

 

[sameh_riad]

Wow...this would be pretty cool. But so many flaws in this kinda logic. Just one more thing for our mad hatter hackers to find a way around the system. They better have some high security values for this!

I totally agree. The first thing that came to my mind was hackers hacking on to this system and announcing that all cars were stold, like the eagle eye movie or even someone renewing his own license plate without even having to pay. oh weird hope that doesn't prove I have a devious mind set

 

[Darth Shiv]

Who goes to the DMV to renew plates? Just mail in your check and you get your sticker back in the mail. The only time I need to jump through hoops for registration is to do emissions tests, and fancy plates won't help with that.

Still sounds like a cool idea, but would it have to be wired into the car for power? I'd hate to get pulled over because my license plate battery died.

We don't do stickers in NSW, Australia anymore. Still have the physical plates but police do IR scanning now so they can just sit on the road and scan everyone with IR scanning in an over 90 degree arc. Apparently collected several hundred million plates, datetimes and GPS locations on file.

Apparently there has been a court case (I think actually in SF) where these sort of records were subpoenaed in the divorce court. Interesting privacy implications for this sort of data collection on innocent people.

 

[Darth Shiv]

More unnecessary costs. You can register and get your tags by mail in California - no need to go to the DMV offices. Most likely, such plates would have a chip in it so that you can be identified in passing - privacy.

Exactly. Imagine your every move is tracked and stored in a database. Now imagine if someone manages to get unethical access to data on your movements. What if this person was a competitor? Your ex? Who knows... it's a privacy minefield.

Surely the default should be to not store tonnes of data on innocent people?

 

[RenGood08]

I totally agree. The first thing that came to my mind was hackers hacking on to this system and announcing that all cars were stold, like the eagle eye movie or even someone renewing his own license plate without even having to pay. oh weird hope that doesn't prove I have a devious mind set

To be in information security, you need to have a devious mindset. My interest is to get into Information Security. In order to be ahead of the evil minded hackers, you have to have a rather similar mindset so you can slow them down or stop them. =D All in due time. All in due time.