Digital Number Plates to Be Installed on UAE Vehicles
Authorities in the UAE have said that metal vehicle plates will no longer be used in the not-so-distant future. Instead, car drivers will have digital number plates installed on their vehicles.
The new-look smart screen is called “Tag to Connect”. Sultan Abdullah Al Marzouqi said that the digital number plates will soon replace the current metallic plates.
Sultan Abdullah Al Marzouqi is the Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) director of the Vehicle Licensing Department.
Al Marzouqi stated: “With the digital plate installed in your car, you need not come to any RTA service center every year in order to renew your vehicle plate — your car registration will be automatically renewed after passing the vehicle test”.
He then added: “Moreover, since it’s a digital plate, you can change your plate number anytime through the RTA App or by ordering from the RTA website without any hassles”.
Benefits of digital number plates
With the new measure, drivers whose vehicles are fitted with digital number plates will not be required to go to any RTA service center every year in order to renew the car registration.
Instead, the registration will be automatically renewed after passing the technical test.
At the same time, drivers will even have the luxury to change the digital number plates at any desired moment.
This would be done through the RTA app or by ordering from the RTA website to avoid all hassles.
The measure would also help prevent car theft. If someone tries carjacking the vehicle or stealing the plate, the digital number plate on the car will flash ‘stolen’.
Another important feature of the digital number plates is the alert sent to police and ambulance in case of accidents.
Al Marzouqi said: “The digital plate will also allow vehicles to connect with each other — that’s why it’s Tag to Connect — meaning, motorists can exchange information on traffic condition or if there is an accident on the road. All this information will be connected to the central command system of the RTA”.
Parking payment will also be easier with the digital number plates. An electronic wallet (e-wallet) will be connected with the smart plates. Thus, parked vehicles will be charged through the e-wallet.
The e-wallet will also be used to carry out vehicle registration, testing and pay fines or fees on the go.
Digital number plates testing to start in May
Al Marzouqi mentioned that the RTA will start testing the smart plates in May. The tests will be performed until November this year.
During this period, the specialists will eliminate any glitches in the system and see how the system will actually work.
The director explained: “We want to know how the smart plates can survive in the UAE weather, how humidity and dust can affect the transfer of data and to determine its life cycle and other technological requirements”.
After that, Al Marzouqi concluded: “Then, after thorough evaluation, we will roll out the smart plates to the public and announce how much it will cost. Other applications will also be added to the smart plate, including, possibly the integration of the Salik tag”.
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