Digital License Plate Vendor Reviver Wins Partial Approval; Adding Texas To States That Can Use Them

June 22, 2022 by Dave Haynes

A company built around the idea of replacing stamped metal license plates with connected, e-paper versions is starting to gain some traction – with U.S. state government clearance to sell and use them in Arizona, California, and Michigan, and now approval for them on commercial vehicles in Texas.

Based near Sacramento, Reviver uses e-paper technology to produce and support what are a little like electronic shelf labels (though much larger) and a little like connected digital signs.

The digital plates allow for personalization, but the interesting thing to me is how the units are tied to management software that can automate renewal of plates and eliminate the need for things like physical tags and stickers. That ease, convenience and traceability of updated information has a similar ring to just about anyone selling more conventional digital signage technology.

Says Reviver in announcing the Texas approval:

Commercial businesses in Texas can access a growing number of personalization, convenience, and security features delivered via the digital plate. Legislative approval and close collaboration with the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) paved the way for this product launch. Reviver’s digital license plates are approved for use on commercial vehicles in Texas and legal to drive throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Commercial fleet businesses access digital license plates via RFleet, which combines the RPlate, a tamper-proof digital license plate device with integrated telematics capabilities, along with the RFleet Software Dashboard. RFleet offers a suite of features tailored to businesses managing vehicle fleets, including automated vehicle registration and compliance, as well as a robust set of telematics and safety features. RFleet is the only fully-digital registration renewal solution on the market. It eliminates physical tags and stickers and enables fleet managers to conduct centralized vehicle registration renewal of their entire fleet. Not all of these services are yet fully available in Texas.

“Vehicle fleets are one of the biggest capital investments that many companies make, and they are notoriously difficult and time-consuming to manage. We believe digital license plates can play an important role in providing solutions for businesses,” says CJ Meurell, Reviver’s EVP Sales.

“The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is committed to providing Texas commercial fleets high levels of customer service,” said TxDMV Director of Vehicle Titles and Registration, Roland Luna, Sr. “Working with Reviver to implement digital license plate offerings for commercial fleets is just one way we are helping Texas companies navigate today’s technically competitive landscape.”

Additional RFleet features include integrated telematics, which provides real-time vehicle tracking, geofencing, trip logging, speeding alerts and more. RFleet offers unique safety alert features, including STOLEN Mode with GPS tracking and the ability to report a vehicle stolen through the dashboard. Further, the interface integrates seamlessly with existing fleet management systems, such as enterprise telematics systems, allowing easy integration of RFleet’s best-in-class fleet compliance features.

Pardon the pun, but it has been a long road for Reviver, which was founded in 2009 and was likely hoping/expecting faster clearance and adoption. But maybe not. Governments are not known for their lightning-fast pace on much of anything. Ten more U.S. states are at what Reviver says are at “various stages of adoption.”