Once the Governor and the General Assembly approve House Bill 1162 Colorado will get digital license plates. So far, digital license plates have been tried out in Florida, California, Texas, Illinois, Georgia and Arizona.
A digital license plate emits a wireless signal that is used for tracking and digital monitoring services. The concept was patented in 2002 but took off in 2016, when California became the first state to put the technology into state law. As of now California-based Reviver is the only company making the plates.
Digital plates can be easily updated and will completely take over yearly replacing registration stickers. They can also be used to display other messages like when they are stolen. These plates are useful for fleets or other businesses that require vehicle tracking.
Each of these plates is equipped with a radio receiver and transmitter that allows for wireless communication. That, in turn, allows the plate to receive real-time updates and communicate with the Reviver app. The plates can also operate in weather as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 185 degrees Fahrenheit.
As readability is an issue with these plates the front end of the car would still have metal plates. The other issue is that they need to be bought directly from Reviver and not the Division of Motor Vehicles.
There have also been concerns regarding hacking of the digital plates. To answer this Esteban Nunez, Reviver’s legislative director said the technology is encrypted with the same kind of technology used by banks and the only way to hack it is by deconstructing the plate and the chip inside.
The bill got a hefty rewrite through an amendment requested by the Colorado State Patrol to address rule making around privacy, data sharing, security and a one-year review after the rules go into effect. It has received a unanimous vote of approval from the committee and is now awaiting action from the full house.
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