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California considering electronic license plates

September 9, 2013

10758265-redflag-digital-display-license-platesA bill that passed the California legislature last week would create a pilot program introducing electronic license plates that authorities could remotely access. [Mashable]

Electronic license plates are not yet in circulation in the U.S., but states such as New Jersey and South Carolina are also considering introducing them.

SB 806, introduced by San Diego Democratic Senator Ben Hueso, would allow the Department of Motor Vehicles to issue electronic license plates to .5 percent of registered motorists until January 1, 2017.

If Governor Jerry Brown signs the bill, DMV officials will have access to technology that will allow them to remotely post alerts on license plates indicating the car has been stolen or the driver is uninsured or has a suspended license.

Opponents of the bill raise privacy concerns, while supporters suggest electronic license plate implementation would save money by eliminating the cost of mailing license plate tags.

 


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….”while supporters suggest electronic license plate implementation would save money by eliminating the cost of mailing license plate tags.”


Smoke and mirrors… What about the COST to make them, program them and distribute them? Who do you suppose will pay for that? All of the little hand-wringers that come up with new whiz-bang stuff like this will most certainly make you, the taxpayer, foot their bill.


Standard metal plate construction is likely done by inmates. What does it actually cost compared to a gadget? If a driver is stopped because of a dark plate, will there have to be an investigation to determine if it was mechanical failure of the operator disconnecting it?


DMV needs to clean up and modernize their own stuff long before they start “projects” like this…


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I wish all these guys would coordinate their efforts… how many tags do we need?


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George Orwell was so right….Big Brother IS watching you.


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Putting on my tinfoil hat . . .


I wonder if the NSA or Homeland Security is behind this move?


If not, I wonder if Google or Facebook or some lesser-known consumer database company sees this as an opportunity to grab more info about us by buying “location data” from the state once they have the system set up?


What about insurance companies making individual coverage or cost decisions based upon driving habits as obtained from the state license plate monitoring system?


Will the state be able to keep their database secure if they do actually avoid pressures to sell the information to private companies? Would a private investigator (for example) be able to access information showing where someone was at a specific time? What about a political operative trying to show their opponent was a “scofflaw” by occasionally speeding? Possibilities are endless!


. . . removing tinfoil hat and returning to mind-numbing normality.


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I need to learn how to hack these stupid things so I can tell off the tailgater behind me…


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