Your Car, My Ad

[marshac]

(AP) As electronic highway billboards flashing neon advertisements become more prevalent, the next frontier in distracted driving is already approaching - ad-blaring license plates.

The California Legislature is considering a bill that would allow the state to begin researching the use of electronic license plates for vehicles. The move is intended as a moneymaker for a state facing a $19 billion deficit.

Digital License Plate Ads Coming to California? - CBS News

Who decides what's acceptable and what's not? What about religious issues (like your car advertising tobacco)? I'm sure a license-plate ad for BP would go over really well in the south right now....

[Gwen]

i don't like it. if someone wants to advertise on my car they can pay me for the space and i'll slap a car magnet on the side/back/whatever.

[NeuroTypical]

We all pick avatars on this board, and follow the guidelines. There could be guidelines for the digital license plate idea too. With the avalanche of customized designs of existing plates available now, I'm sure there are already guidelines.

[marshac]

You know, to pull this idea off the license plate would need some sort of wireless communication. For the movement part, you could use an accelerometer, but a GPS chip probably doesn't cost much more.... GPS + wireless communication.... oh joy. Besides the fact that you could be tracked, we could also move to a road-usage tax. Awesome. =P

[Gwen]

if we are going that route they could have it notify them when you exceeded certain speeds and mail you tickets too.

[pam]

Oh so let me pay more attention to some neon flashing ad on a car than watching traffic. The ironic thing would be if it were an add for auto insurance or a lawyer who specializes in injuries.

[Dravin]

You know, to pull this idea off the license plate would need some sort of wireless communication. For the movement part, you could use an accelerometer, but a GPS chip probably doesn't cost much more.... GPS + wireless communication.... oh joy. Besides the fact that you could be tracked, we could also move to a road-usage tax. Awesome. =P

If it is wireless instead of preloaded (which makes sense) I'm waiting for someone to crack it and have them display pornography or something else obscene.

[Guest mormonmusic]

Hasn't California outlawed cell phone use in cars? To prevent car accidents? Isn't it contradictory to then start putting flashing signs on license plates?

[Just_A_Guy]

The ironic thing would be if it were an add for auto insurance or a lawyer who specializes in injuries.

I am so using that kind of advertising when it comes to Utah.

[pam]

I am so using that kind of advertising when it comes to Utah.

Can I put it on my car?

[marshac]

That's a really good idea- we're probably goin to SLC again this year mid-July...it might cut down on the white-shirt wearing angry tailgaters- "what? you're only doing 83?"

[Just_A_Guy]

Can I put it on my car?

Nah . . . I like you too much.

[FunkyTown]

I think the government should say 'All right. We need to do one of two things: Either raise taxes or sell advertising on license plates. What do you think we should do?' and let people vote for it.

I know what my bet would be on.

[pam]

That's a really good idea- we're probably goin to SLC again this year mid-July...it might cut down on the white-shirt wearing angry tailgaters- "what? you're only doing 83?"

Does this mean we need to plan another lds.net get together?

[Gwen]

I think the government should say 'All right. We need to do one of two things: Either raise taxes or sell advertising on license plates. What do you think we should do?' and let people vote for it.

I know what my bet would be on.

but those license plates will cost more so your tag and title and tax costs go up. so in the end would it really matter which you voted for. that kind of thing is a "costs are going up".

with the tax raise they have to say by how much. that's a bit safer. like a fixed interest rate vs variable.

[marshac]

but those license plates will cost more so your tag and title and tax costs go up. so in the end would it really matter which you voted for. that kind of thing is a "costs are going up".

with the tax raise they have to say by how much. that's a bit safer. like a fixed interest rate vs variable.

Here in Washington we have to replace our plates every few years- at our cost- because the reflective coating supposedly wears off, or some nonsense like that. I'm sure we would be expected to buy our own techno-plates as well.

What happens when the plate breaks and your license plate number is no longer visible? Who gets the ticket? The Chinese manufacturer of the plate, or me?

[Wingnut]

Is this a proposed mandatory thing, or an optional thing?

[Gretchen]

It had better not be mandatory. It sounds to me that the license plates are controlled by something akin to a computer. In today's world, with a bunch of skilled computer hackers out there, whose to say they won't hack in to a database and change their license plate number to something invalid to avoid a fine when they go 100 mph (miles per hour).