South Carolina in the USA is looking into introducing a new type of license plate called the e-tag. Using electronic paper technology, it would give authorities the ability to display messages on the plates themselves that would be visible to other drivers and of course police in the area. The plates get the power to display the messages through a solar powered film over the plate and also via the vibrations of the plate. They have incredibly low power requirements.
This could go a long way to help combat car crime. A car reported stolen could have the message STOLEN sent to its license
number plate. Other road users could then spot it and report the location to the police, and of course it may help drivers to give the stolen car a wide berth in case the driver is going to speed off or is intoxicated. And driving erratically. Other potential messages would target cars with no insurance or drivers who have had their licenses suspended.
Whether these high-tech plates ever make it onto the roads remains to be seen. There's a pretty mixed reaction to them in the USA with 50.9 percent of American being against the idea.
South Carolina in the USA is looking into introducing a new type of license plate called the e-tag. Using electronic paper technology, it would give authorities the ability to display messages on the plates themselves that would be visible to other drivers and of course police in the area. The plates get the power to display the messages through a solar powered film over the plate and also via the vibrations of the plate. They have incredibly low power requirements.
This could go a long way to help combat car crime. A car reported stolen could have the message STOLEN sent to its license number plate. Other road users could then spot it and report the location to the police, and of course it may help drivers to give the stolen car a wide berth in case the driver is going to speed off or is intoxicated. And driving erratically. Other potential messages would target cars with no insurance or drivers who have had their licenses suspended.
Whether these high-tech plates ever make it onto the roads remains to be seen. There's a pretty mixed reaction to them in the USA with 50.9 percent of American being against the idea.
