Attending the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) for the second year a row, I was struck by just how seriously Motor City is taking the influx of opportunities offered by tech companies – start ups and established players – who are coming to the market with connected car solutions, automation technology and other mobility services. The conversation at last month’s show seemed to be dominated by the innovation in the sector – whether it’s new, targeted ride sharing apps, solutions for the next iteration of self-driving vehicles, hardware/software that delivers unprecedented connectivity, or even the URB-E, a fold-up electric bike that weighs just 30lbs and may just replace a city dweller’s car.

While the OEMs were upstairs launching their latest models – and there were plenty of great ones to talk about! – Automobili-D, the showcase taking place in the depths of the basement, had its own buzz brewing, it felt more CES than Auto Show. Rick Snyder, Michigan’s governor, hosted an award ceremony to recognize the premier mobility technology companies in the world, saying, “This year’s inaugural PlanetM Awards represents Michigan’s evolution from motor to mobility epicenter.”

Reviver Auto was just one of the 160 exhibitors – a number that had doubled from last year. Companies hailed from over a dozen countries, focusing on everything from electrification and personal mobility to on-demand/ride sharing and smart city infrastructures to fleet management and logistics.

We weren’t the only company hailing from California – there was start-up Populus.ai, a data and analytics platform founded by MIT PhDs to help cities create safer, more efficient streets, and Mystro, an app to help on-demand drivers safely switch between multiple ride-sharing platforms (like Lyft or Uber) by automating the evaluation and accepting of trips.

During the Detroit Auto Show, we had the pleasure of announcing the RPlate Pro, the first-ever digital license plate, to the world. The idea of turning the old stamped metal license plate into a connected car platform really resonated with attendees – 82% said they’d buy one once the digital plate became available in their state. It could also be because they look great and modern on the back of any vehicle – especially some of the sleek, new models introduced during the show.

Currently, the RPlate is being sold through dealerships in California – but you can expect to see them in Arizona, Texas and Florida soon.

LA-area Galpin Motors is the first announced dealer partner to sell the RPlate, and prides itself on giving consumers cutting-edge product, technology, and service. Beau Boeckmann, Galpin's President and COO, told the media, "When I saw the digital license plate, I thought it was absolutely awesome! We have a long history of industry firsts and innovation, so the digital license plate is a natural for us -- I can't wait to offer it to our customers."

Similar to a smart home device, the RPlate is a “connected smart car” device that you control via a cloud-based app, ultimately transforming a stamped metal license plate into a thin, integrated, digital display that functions as a legal license plate – except it does much more! Including automating DMV registration renewals (legacy stickers are replaced with digital decals) and, specifically of interest to auto dealers, the plates can also display a customized marketing message when a vehicle is parked.  Think of extending your marketing capability to the back of every loaner or showroom vehicle on your lot!

It’s an exciting time to be a part of today’s changing automotive industry landscape and to work closely with forward-thinking dealerships as they deliver the next evolution in connected car technology to what is clearly an extremely receptive audience!

To learn more about the RPlate Pro, visit www.reviverauto.com