The Lowdown on Dubai’s Digital Number Plates
Technology is the foundation of how we live in the 21st century which means that we are going to be forced to adapt everyday items that you never thought could be digitalised. For instance, self-driving cars were only an idea decades ago and now they are starting to share the road with us. Dubai has recently announced that it will be trialling a digital number plate system, an invention that came about almost 16 years ago, and we are going to tell you everything you need to know…
What are they?
By using smart plates that come with a digital screen, GPS and high-quality transmitters, Dubai has created fully functioning digital number plates that can replace the current metallic plates. Formally named ‘Tag to Connect’, the smart system was introduced during a statement at the 2018 Future Cities Show by Sultan Abdullah Al Marzouqi, the RTA director of the Vehicle Licencing Department. It is thought that the officials will be putting the new smart number plate system through rigorous testing from May til November 2018.
The Features
The most prominent feature that the digital system proposes to provide is an automatic connection with the emergency services when the vehicle is involved in a collision, as well as a real-time connection with fellow drivers using the system in order to pre-warn them about traffic or accidents ahead, hence the name ‘Tag to Connect’.
Not only can the GPS system that is integrated into the plates help locate vehicles that have had an accident, it can also be rather helpful at tracking down stolen cars too. In fact, since the number plates are digital they can even be changed in order to display the word ‘STOLEN’ when a vehicle has been unlawfully apprehended.
In addition to this, motorists with the digital plates would no longer be required to visit an RTA (Road and Transport Authority) centre on a yearly basis in order to renew the car registration as the smart screen will do it automatically once the technical test has been passed. Perhaps the most exciting feature however is the opportunity to change the number plate at any time through the RTA app or website, a luxury that is difficult to achieve with the current metallic plates.
Here at V12 Sports and Classics we are always looking at how technology is impacting the world we live in and industry we operate in. After all, if we don’t stay up to date we risk being left behind! Whilst the UK is still equipped with metallic plates, it’s only a matter of time before Dubai’s technological advancements reach us. Until then, our range of used cars here at V12 run perfectly with the traditional metallic plates! To find out more information, get in contact with a member of the team today!