- Sony Honda Mobility partners with Reviver to create digital license plates
- Customers can swap background colors and add text
- The RPlate costs around $900 (around £670 / AU$1,350)
The debut of Sony’s Afeela 1 electric vehicle is perhaps one of the longest-running features of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, with the Sony Honda Mobility sedan seemingly released every year with new and innovative tweaks.
According to sources, a pre-production Afeela 1, which will cost $89,900 (around £67,000/AU$135,000) when it finally goes on sale, will be displayed in Las Vegas, becoming the first model to sport a digital license plate.
Sony says it has partnered with technology company Reviver to introduce its RPlate digital license plate, which allows owners to personalize items through a custom smartphone app.
Although Sony Honda Mobility hasn’t said whether the app will be integrated into the large touchscreen that runs the entire width of the Afeela 1’s interior, which makes a lot more sense.
The battery-powered RPlate uses a monochrome HD display that allows the background to be swapped between black and white, while messages can be added to the bottom of the plate in a variety of fonts.
These can be social media hashtags, slogans or one-liners, although it is also unknown whether the use of profanity or other potentially inflammatory material can be legally displayed.
In fact, Sony Honda Mobility has released few details about the partnership, stating only that it reflects SHMA’s “commitment to seamlessly integrating smart and connected technologies into every part of the Afeela experience.”
Sony has a lot to do
The Sony Afeela 1 made a big splash when it was first unveiled at CES in 2023, offering the tech giant’s advanced infotainment, a customizable external media bar with dynamic LED display, and cutting-edge autonomous driving technology.
That said, we have yet to see a production model arrive and the $89,900 starting price now seems incredibly steep for a vehicle that offers an EPA-estimated range of up to 300 miles on a single charge.
Digital license plates aside, BMW will launch its similarly priced iX3 next year, which is part of the Neue Klasse range of electric vehicles expected to offer more than 500 miles on a single charge, 400kW fast charging and advanced computing that is said to completely revolutionize the way large, heavy electric vehicles feel like driving.
The announcement of the Reviver RPlate seems like just another gimmick in a vehicle that is absolutely packed with technological gimmicks.
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