Dubai is testing digital license plates for the first time
from Manuel 
on April 17, 2018, 19:51 am | Write a comment
Digitization is advancing especially in Dubai. In general, tech startups are given special treatment in the country - sometimes even with tax relief. The goal is clear, you want to build the new Silicon Valley. A new test phase will start in May 2018, this time the aim is to equip cars with digital license plates for the first time. In addition to a screen, these will include GPS, among other things.
Sultan Abdullah al-Marzouqi is the head of the RTA (Road and Transport Authority) vehicle registration office in Dubai. He speaks of the fact that in the future the "smart license plates" would like to simplify the life of the driver. An automatic emergency call is integrated in the event of an accident and the license plate allows real-time communication between the drivers. This technology makes it possible to better exchange information about accidents and traffic (especially traffic jams).
Car theft protection
If the car is stolen, the license plate indicates that the car was stolen. In addition, the exchange of the signs is no longer necessary and the debiting of parking fees, fines and renewal of the Lienz are also easier. The test phase aims to find out whether this is even possible due to the heat and desert sand. There is not yet a calculation for the signs, as the dimensions cannot yet be estimated. More details will probably only be available at the end of the test phase, which was scheduled for November 2018.
This is how our digital license plates could look in the future. (Image: Reviver)
For a more peaceful road traffic
The advantage is clear, as a driver you save time and money. It should also lower the crime rate. The license plates could possibly make the driver “more personal”, which is why the road traffic could be “nicer” - free from aggression. On the other hand, the authorities (and insurance companies) always know where you are currently. Such a thing would not be possible at all in Germany. The whole point of the test is to find out if the marks are up to the hot climate and desert sand. The cost of the signs will only be able to be estimated precisely when the test period is completed in November.
In and of itself, that's something that can simplify the lives of drivers and administrative procedures. But it is also a fact that these indicators are monitored. The authorities always know where you are with your car and how long you will be in one place. In this country, privacy advocates would pull out the pens.
