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California Wants To Put E-Ads On License Plates
techmuse writes "The San Jose Mercury News reports that the California state legislature wants to put electronic advertising on license plates. The plate would display standard plate information when the car is moving, but would also display ads when the car is stopped for more than 4 seconds (say, at a red light). Not distracting or annoying at all! 'The bill has received no formal opposition. It passed unanimously through the Senate last month and is scheduled to be heard Monday by the Assembly Transportation Committee.'"
You stay classy California.
Oh goody - programmable number plates. What could possibly go wrong. I can just imagine how happy the jackers are going to be - no need to switch plates, just upload a custom firmware and you're gold.
Spend too much money -> need money -> get more money with stupid schemes -> spend too much money -> ....
Repeat
The idea is cool, but I would be really pissed if someone could put ads on my car without my consent. But how else will they rake in the money for the state? (Maybe make it optional and split the ad revenue with the driver?)
The article doesn't say what kids of screens would be used but I'm assuming some kind of LCD. So now every time my car gets a little tap in a parking lot I have to replace it. These also seem like a prime target for jackasses to vandalize, just a little kick and you have to get a new one. I don't think they would like power washers very much either. Whats wrong with stamped and plated metal do you really need more information than a registration number? It would be a better idea to put ads on the signs they use to warn people of accidents and traffic jams when they aren't in use.
No way would I plug that stupidity into my cars power supply.
Want to advertise on MY property, then pay ME not the state.
I wonder how long after this goes into effect that some guy files a lawsuit for embarrassing him by displaying a tampon advert on his truck's plate.
Or some religious crazy files a lawsuit because the plate displayed a condom advert...
Perhaps accepting the advertising could result in lower license or insurance fees.
What if it gets the Blue Screen of Death?
[I]s crazy. How long until advertising is allowed on my forehead?
Great idea, you're a genius! Just hang on a moment, we'll get right back to you.
Better to be despised for too anxious apprehensions, than ruined by too confident a security. --Edmund Burke
"I'm sorry officer. Guess you should've written my number down BEFORE you pulled me over!"
if they waived the license registration and made it free, in light of the ad revenue the DMV or state would be receiving.
the California state legislature wants
I guess you were asleep when they showed that "how a bill becomes law" video. The California state legislature hasn't even voted on this, and I doubt that it ever will. Like it says in TFA, this is a proposal by a one particular member, and will never be more than that unless he gets a lot of other assemblymen and state senators to back it.
If they can send (?) ad and other information (FTFA) to your plate, they can receive it as well. I am guessing; where you are, for how long, or for how fast you are going. Possibly privacy takes another icicle in the eye.
6.8SPC TR of 550, l xwind at 6, drift rt at 26" drops 77". AT has 503 ft-lbs at 1403 fps. FT 0.86
If you want to allow advertising on your forehead, there's possibly someone who will buy the space. The problem comes when someone wants to put advertising there without your consent.
I was wondering how seriously to take this elected representative for a bit, until I came across this actuality:
Uh, what would a mobile billboard do differently, exactly?
It appears IQs have dropped sharply while I was away. Politicians feel free to change their mind and policies in the span of one sentence, as if nobody is going to notice.
If opportunity came disguised as temptation, one knock would be enough.
3^2 * 67^1 * 977^1
This seems like it would be an added drain on the car battery, especially if the system wasn't smart enough to tell the difference between the car in run with the engine running and the car in run (or electronics only) with the engine off. Will the state pay for dead batteries?
And of course that is saying nothing about the cost of the drained lead-acid batteries that are in most cars on the road today...
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
I would think that they might not want ads for products that impair driving (alcohol for example); it would probably be bad to have cars running ads for Budweiser for example. But then where do they draw the line for who can and who cannot run ads?
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
I don't think electronic ads would be that interesting on license plates, but how about a game of Tetris? The car behind could honk once to rotate left, and honk twice to rotate right. This could really reduce boredom in traffic jams!
I always wanted top Rickroll people at stop lights
How often do you look at your own license plate while driving?
Or in NorCal.
I saw a collision in Santa Clara, that wasn't even a fender-bender. Both drivers got out, looked at the damage (just scrapes on the paint), shrugged at each other, got back in their cars, and drove away.
But a high-tech license plate with active content would never survive even that much.
I can't believe no one has asked this yet.
Please don't leave. We don't need you, you don't know how to behave and you're not welcome. You can't help but bring your bat shit crazy leftist nonsense with you so you end up ruining the refugee states you move into. Arizona, Colorado, Texas and the rest would rather you just stay where you belong. Thanks!
From a different point of view, this could be the "great equalizer". Voted for Prop 8? Pro-gay marriage ads on your plate! Atheist? Jesus ads! Sex predator? "I'm a sex predator" ad 24/7! The possibilities are endless!
I don't want my shit displaying advertisements of any kind. I purposely buy clothes without logos, shoes without logos, sand the logos off my electronics, etc. Now they want to shove ads into my motherfucking license plate. Fuck you, and fuck the people who passed this bill.
And anyway, IF they were to be showing ads on MY license plate, I expect ad agencies to pay me for that.
Seriously, mount the plates ala iPad format in the rear and front windshields, and that gives you driving cameras, handsfree cell phone, and millions of other apps. Police will have access to "Who Is This Bozo" app so the walk back to the patrol car can be eliminated, providing more Krispy Kreme time during the day. Integrate all fast pass accounts, and u will be able to drive in the car pool lane for just 49.99 a trip. This is the perfect example of California once again taking the lead in prudent use of technology, while at the same time saving you, the tax payer...what?
I think therefore I can't be ~TTNH
Won't work. I can't see the license plate on my own car while I am driving
Here's one way that targeted advertising could work. Camera-bearing cellphones are cheap enough - include a little cellphone-type device in the license plate. Now you can take a photo of the car behind me, read its license and target the ad to that car's owner. The beauty of this system is that you can also use the cellphone to work out which billboard I am nearest and target me via the billboard.
What's that? What are you saying? PRY-VASSI? I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't know what you mean!
Ahh - My eye!
The doctor said I'm not supposed to get Slashdot in it!
I will bill every applicable agency $10,000 for every watt-hour of power the thing consumes.
Let's see you try to encroach upon my shit, assholes.
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
If you're going to use the billboards, use the ones that scan the IF stage of FM radios and determine which station most people are listening to and set the ads based on that.
And where are they going to get the electricity for these advertisement plates? Solar panels on the license plate?
If the airbag is deployed there will be an ad for a personal injury lawyer. If the car is totaled, as it's hauled away on the wrecker, you'll see insurance ads flashing. If someone is being air lifted in the vicinity, life insurance.
Someone suddenly and rudely steers into your lane,
causing you to hit your brakes. Thirty seconds later,
you both stop for a red light. The ad on his plate reads
"Verizon covers more of the US...". Next time I shop
for a phone, I'll be inclined to pick AT&T or Sprint.
I grew up in Indiana and lived all over the US. I've always ignored those yellow advisory speed limit signs on curves and stuff. But I discovered that in Tennessee, more than anywhere else, you ignore those at your own peril. Even in a BMW!
"Hey, you, assh*** where the f**k did you learn to drive?!!!"
No more need to use the horn.
California is totally into green technology lately. I've got a great idea for them. Normal non-powered license plates. Once created they use no energy and produce no emissions.
This idea is too stupid to be taken seriously but so is Hitler.
I love in TFA how they state their goal is not to turn everyones license plates into a roving billboard. This was of course after mentioning the whole point of the exercise is to find additional revenue streams to counter the states budget deficit.
Doubletalk is the hallmark of human stupidity. Heres an idea how you can save money and balance your budget California... Get rid of the stupid asshats your paying to come up with shit like this.
Wouldn't want to be looking at the road as we're driving when we can be looking at advertising.
It's great to see California taking such strides to reduce carbon emissions. Take something which was previously just a static plate of painted metal, and replace it with a high-tech display which continuously consumes energy. What an excellent plan.
What will these plates show when the engine is off? And, more to the point, for how long will they show it before the battery is so drained the engine cannot be restarted?
I'm old enough to remember when discussions on Slashdot were well informed.
Just common occurrence - ad stuck on malfunctioning license plate. No license number is visible, but no one is paying attention - it happens too often. Or even better - with little tinkering a criminal can change license number on the run...
It is not the shell casings, it is the bullet or the shot inside shotgun shells. Birds that bottom feed eat the used shot on the bottom of lakes and waterways causing the lead to get into the (animal) food chain. It is not just waterfowl, scavengers such as the condor are also effected
Obviously, bullet manufacturers should immediately switch to depleted uranium instead. It would eliminate the lead poisoning issue completely.
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
That would be cool. Apart from that it's all fail.
No sig today...
People drive at what *they* perceive a safe speed to be, not what is a safe speed.
People also drive at a distance behind other cars at which they perceive to be safe.
How many people stay the requisite 3 seconds behind other cars? (or even longer on wet/icey roads)
How many people are aware of why that 3 second rule exists and understand it enough to obey it?
The point here is that people will drive in a manner that is neither safe for themselves or others on the road because they can and because they think it is ok without understanding why it isn't.
My other car isn't a moving billboard.
.... Criminals make license plates.
At what point is the beast satisfied? Couldn't we agree on some reasonable percentage of the total personal/corporate income and then force the government to spend within that limit?
Unless "Honk" is the product. :-)
America, Home of the Brave.
Yes because slowing down to prevent speeding tickets would be illogical....
Actually, according to the following video clip, if you exceed speeds of 170mph you go too fast for speed cameras to catch you.
Not that I would obviously recommend doing this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ph-qv4gYAE8
Ha! Even better, have it flash "help!" messages randomly as if it was a kidnapped child =]. While we're at it, put a small display in the dash to do the same thing and freak the shit out of the thief. "You have accessed this vehicle illegally. It will detonate at a random time with the next 10 hours. Please wear your seat-belt and drive safely."
Wow, California will put an Airbus on every license plate!
Or did I mis-read EAds?
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire
Anyone notice how the government is becoming more like the government in the movie "Idiocracy"?...."Brought to you by Carl's Jr."
The state and federal taxes are not related. It does not matter how much the people of California pay to the federal government, only how much they pay to their own state. Now if your saying that the forty billion dollar difference is not making up for unfunded mandates at the federal level, well boo hoo, that still does not help California's problem.
California's problem is based in part on too many entitlements, too much pay and benefits to the government workers, and far too many people off the tax rolls. The amounts going to pay government employee pay, pensions, and benefits, is staggering and only getting worse as politicians pay that group to keep themselves in power.
No, having that forty billion extra won't save California, they need to have reasonable expenditures before any amount of income matters. The sad part is, many states in the Northeast US are in worse shape but you never hear of it
* Winners compare their achievements to their goals, losers compare theirs to that of others.
Two words: Adblock Sunglasses.
(I'd polarise lenses perpendicular to that of the LCD filter.)
Finally had enough. Come see us over at https://soylentnews.org/
They will display Goatse of course.
This is defiantly kind of neat I must say the whole advertising license plate I think is very cool and geek like. I can see peoples concerns on the front of theft and reprogramming of the plate. But again its just as easy now 2 screws and you have a new plate on the car.
http://www.thetechnologygeek.org
California gets 30% and owner gets 70% of the ad revenue?
So, who is responsible for fixing the ad plates when they break? If the mechanism fails, is the automobile owner expected to take the initiative to bring the vehicle in for repairs? Is the government going to cover the cost of repairs? I imagine this ad mechanism will be highly prone to failure as people will be tempted to disable the mechanism (whether that be on their own cars or the cars of strangers). Now if the government of California offered incentives for the ad plates that might change things...
> ...it's designed to display warnings for local traffic conditions so it
> presumably has built-in GPS to know where you are.
Short-range roadside transmitters would suffice for that (paid for by the company so that they can sell local ads). However, this is an opportunity to get state-owned black boxes onto every car in the state. Initially, of course, Californians will be assured that no information will be gathered. Then the exceptions will start creeping in. Finally, a connector will be mandated and the plate plugged into the vehicle CAN bus.
It will be a felony to meddle with the plate in any way, including suppressing the ads.
Warning: this article may contain humor, sarcasm, parody, and perhaps even irony. Read at your own risk.
Isn't it irrelevant whether or not the car is moving? I've never driven a car where I could see my own plate from the driver's seat.
The display on a stationary car could distract other drivers who are moving. Or am I missing something?
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
what do the powered license plates display when they break?
PC_LOAD_AD
Reply to That ||
Advertise on my car, pay me money. End of story.
I used to have a sig, but I set it free and it never came back.
"Sorry officer, I didn't realize my licence plate was burned out". Speaking of which, who's financially, (or even legally), responsible for a malfunctioning licence plate?
'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
My car is not a billboard. It's my property, and one could say an extension of myself. I refuse to even have those tacky dealership frames around my plates. Why in the world would I want to have an electronic sign on it?
Even if I were forced into it, do I get to choose the ads? If I hate Pepsi, I'd hate to have a Pepsi ad randomly show up on the back of my car.
Does it make you happy you're so strange?
for how long will they show it before the battery is so drained the engine cannot be restarted?
probably right up until the battery dies.
I realize Parallel Parking isn't a big deal in California, land of the parking lot, but I assume in big cities like LA or San Fran, people backing up into your car will damage the plate.
I live in NJ, but drive into Manhattan often, and I've had to squeeze my car into some pretty tricky spots. While the rear plate is OK, my front plate, which attaches to the bumper, is practically bent in half, has the paint peeling off; basically it's in bad shape. Can you imagine if this was an LCD screen? It wouldn't even display the plate number at this point, much less any ads.
So when the cop pulls me over, is it my fault or the state's that they made a fragile device that breaks if some other guy hits it? So now, not only do you have to worry about a broken tail-light every time you go to the supermarket, you also have to worry about your license plate being out.
And how long a line will you have to wait in to get your broken plate replaced? Or is this something dealerships will have to service?
I predict a lot of hacks for these plates to display porn. In fact, I have to wonder if the porn industry wouldn't be the first to advertise on these plates! After all, they were the first to advertise on the internet.
If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
Anyone who knows anything about advertising knows you try to get the most eyes for the money you spend. This is wasted money because people won't be looking at the car in front of them, so they'll never see the ads. Instead, they should send the ads to the drivers' cell phones.
Will not work in areas that get lots of snow and how do you power them? LP lights that only come up with the front lights? the SUN? What if the battery dies?
The car is off?
The plate get's hit and the screen stops working?
I'm stunned I haven't heard this from anyone else, but you know these will have to be wirelessly connected somehow so it can update with the latest advertising. And with that wireless connection is a nice easy way for the state to Lojack your car and know exactly where you are every minute of the day. How convenient.
Coming soon, "Honk" brand masturbatory aids!
Sorry, meds have not kicked in yet...
You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
"And figures just released this week show that rear-end collisions at traffic lights skyrocketed in California in 2010. Authorities are baffled as to the causes."
At one extremely busy intersection near me (Fermor & Lagimodiere in Winnipeg, right near the Royal Canadian Mint), the mint has got a huge video screen playing ALL THE TIME visible to southbound and westbound traffic. It's VERY distracting, and I've seen several people drift over a lane (only to violently correct themselves) while heading through the intersection and staring at the billboard.
This in a city where the roads are frequently snow- and ice-covered as well. Nice one, Canadian government.
Michael Coyne
http://turthalion.blogspot.com
They will display Goatse of course.
So, a reflection of the state's current budgetary condition...
You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
Hmm. Troll? Why?
Is it because he pointed out a problem without offering a solution?
Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
There are always other roads. The Interstate is never the only path.
My blog. Good stuff (when I remember to update it). Read it.
I tip my hat to you, sir. That was good.
Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
Stop spending so much money.
Pretty soon we wont be able to choose colours for our cars. Only different adverts. It will look like nascar but at least the politicians will be driving their ferraris still.
If this passes into law, it had better be opt-in. Do not want!
Are YOU using the TOOL, or is the TOOL using YOU? Think about it!
I can't wait to start making money off of my license plate. Oh wait... who gets the ad revenue exactly? Oh..
What's next- ads on my garbage cans, my mail box and the bandages I'm wrapped in when I go to the hospital?
Ug.
and I'm not paying another $30 a month for the wireless service to change the ads.
if this is supposed to be a new economy, how come they still want my old fashioned money?
How does this work out with the requirement that states must respect one another's laws? Does it mean every other state is obligated to allow changeable license plates in their jurisdiction, or that California needs to fuck off because no state need accept these? Am I going to have to rent a car every time I leave California? (If you don't want to be pulled over repeatedly, it's a good idea already... Nobody likes Californians, just our media and money.)
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
I'm just glad that there's absolutely no way an electronic license plate could be hacked to display whatever the owner wants. Good thing about that, too, because that being the case nothing could possibly go wrong with this plan.
I do like the idea of being forced by my government to show advertisements on my private property from companies out of my control. Why don't they do this with all our private property, actually? Think of the tax money it would save if your house was a giant diaper ad.
You know what else they should do, they should cut mirror images of ads into the soles of police jackboots. That way, when they stomp you the state can monetize your bruises.
but have you considered the following argument: shut up.
If you want to put an advertisement on my car you can god damn well pay me for the privilege!
If I were God, wouldn't I protect my churches from acts of me?
that is my only question.
Huh?
You could've just stoped at "California Wants.."
Cars have their VIN stamped in the body in multiple places.
Rumor has it that advertising on these plates can be disabled with some kind of duct tape mod
I can say [REDACTED] anytime I want!
Problem solved.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Seriously. Do people in California ever look around at each other and just say, "Wow. We're fucking retarded. Maybe next time we'll just elect, I dunno, an actual fucking adult to be governor."
I scream. You scream. I assume that means we're both acquainted with the problem. We proceed.
They do, but, I do own my car. I pay ridiculous amounts in taxes for said roads. I also pay registration as another tax. They can do to the plate what they want, but so can I as an act of Free Speech.
These things are going to consume some power... is the government going to lower taxes on fuel to compensate for the amount of fuel it takes to power these license plates?
Maybe they will be battery operated... what happens when the battery dies? I will say what others have said, if I wanted to drive around a billboard for others, I'll choose who I advertise for.
You know as well as I do, the day these are foisted on people, they will be hacked. That is more of my tax money wasted. I really think that is the crux of the issue, it is nothing more than a flagrant waste of tax money on something that is going to end up costing more in the future than it is worth.
42 69 6C 6C 20 47 61 74 65 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 77 68 6F 72 65 21
It will look great on any color car except black ones, ya know, the color Arnold says is not environmentally friendly and they were thinking of outlawing....What a bunch of #$^&ing morons this state has elected...only fix is to throw the hole crap ridden batch of politicians out and start from scratch.
"Computers are a lot like Air Conditioners" "They both work great until you start opening Windows"
Right now the state of California will do any to generate money. This is crazy!
So you know who their sponsor is- after all, they DO have sponsors, don't they!
The three laws of thermodynamics:(1) You can't win. (2) You can't break even. (3) You can't even quit.
We must either respect their sovereignty, or pay the consequences.
Snort. As long as they respect the sovereignty of their people.
Anything else is exactly equivalent to a terrorist demanding we leave them alone because they've got "enough" hostages.
And you wonder why the rest of the world hates the US for our attitude with regard to bullying other countries and pushing our brand of freedom on them.
And yet the USA has never tried to do anything I'd recommend...
What would you say if China decided to 'enlighten' our population by "...roll[ing] RED Chinese trucks through the streets of every city in the world and "offer" to relocate anyone..."?
They could, it's (mostly) legal here. It's a matter of making an offer to people and letting them choose.
We might make a fuss if they were to try taking prisoners but we'd be in the wrong. (The point of prison largely being protection of the innocent - if the prisoner was gone we'd still be safe.) Ditto children - if the child can express meaningful intent.
It's in countries that require exit visas where there'd be a real fuss. They think they own the people.
Using or threatening to use force to bring about political change is the definition of terrorism, you know.
Tell that to the government when they come to arrest me for not wearing pants. Or are you seriously against the police?
Also, force is fine where appropriate. To a bully, someone who by definition abuses others, it's always fine. If they didn't want to accept force they wouldn't use it on others.
I think you'll find that wielding terror is the definition of a terrorist. A single clear threat to kill a dictator, one easily avoidable by stepping down, is pretty much the definition of reasonable use of force.
If you, as a country, have exhausted all peaceful means, then maybe we can help.
Well I think they did exhaust legal means. The state militia started shooting innocent protestors and even killing bystanders like Neda. And to show these weren't one-off accidents it then clamped down ridiculously such as forbidding Neda's family from holding a funeral because of the bad press.
If your government is horribly repressive, we'll take you in as a refugee.
Oh great. If your state is HORRIBLE we'll let you try to escape and cross the world on your own and, then probably turn you back anyways.
But invading to force peace and freedom is a bit of a contradiction, IMHO.
Sure is. The fiasco in Iraq is the reason the Iranians would be daft to trust the USA. But Canada, before we squandered our world trust by going into Afghanistan, would have been perfect for this.
But a threat to shoot a terrorist in mid-terror - if that was also terror our SWAT teams would be illegal...