This week, the federal government launched particular plates for electrical autos – distinctive white background plates with Euro-style fonts and an identifier strip on the left facet. Color and font apart, one other massive departure from the common white-on-black plates is that JPJePlate is fabricated from aluminium, and the numbers are embossed on the plate. It’s tamper-proof and RFID-equipped, too.
Presently, JPJePlate is a pilot mission to make it straightforward to distinguish EVs from ICE-powered vehicles. Will probably be the first identification for enforcement motion (EV-only parking, for instance) as nicely in accidents, guaranteeing an applicable response throughout emergencies – EVs fires must be countered in a different way, as an example.
JPJePlate is for now necessary just for new EVs, and the remainder of us (together with EVs which can be already on the highway) can proceed to make use of our plastic black plates. However be in little question that this is step one in direction of standardised plates for all new autos excluding bikes sooner or later.
Malaysia is outdated, an outlier
Travellers, have you ever ever questioned why Malaysia is seemingly ‘lawless’ and free-for-all in the case of quantity plates, when all of our neighbours – by no means thoughts the remainder of the world – use standardised quantity plates? By all accounts, we’re fairly superior – do you know that Malaysia ranks fourth within the checklist of nations with essentially the most skyscrapers behind China, USA and the UAE? We even have a excessive inhabitants of good vehicles right here.
It’s a uncommon scenario that’s greater than a bit unusual. At a pre-launch briefing, the transport ministry stated that Malaysia is amongst 5% of the international locations nonetheless utilizing conventional acrylic plates globally, and it’s seeking to regularly transfer away from that.
The initiative to introduce JPJePlate is aimed toward exploring the eventual standardisation of the licence plate for all new autos registered in Malaysia, successfully eliminating fancy fonts/non-regulation plates and decreasing the chance of automobile cloning, amongst different issues associated to falsification of quantity plates, MoT added.
On the JPJePlate launch occasion, transport minister Anthony Loke stated that the plate’s reflective white background and excessive legibility can even enhance visibility elements of a automobile through the evening, guaranteeing higher highway security. This jogs my memory of the various circumstances the place autos (often bikes) ram right into a stationary automobile at nighttime, including to our grim highway accident fatality fee.
The long run, surely
The FAQ web page of JPJePlate additionally factors to the ‘white Euro plates’ being the long run for all autos in Malaysia, excluding bikes. The official description of JPJePlate is “an initiative.. to revolutionise the transport trade. Its major purpose is to extend highway security and standardise all quantity plate design on the highway.” That’s very clear from the authorities, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
“The primary section of implementing the JPJePlate quantity plates will start with Zero Emission Autos (ZEVs), which embrace electrical motor autos (EVs) apart from bikes which can be totally powered by electrical batteries (Plug-in EV/Battery Cell) or by hydrogen gasoline cells (Hydrogen Gas-Cell EV), via a Nationwide Roll Out (NRO). Additional expansions to incorporate different sorts of autos shall be introduced in the end,” JPJ provides.
SOPs to get used to
There’s much more to the JPJePlate than its white background and Euro-look. Sourced from Tonnjes, a German specialist firm, the plate options holographic stripes, an anti-counterfeiting foil, a digital signature within the type of a QR code, laser-engraved serial quantity, embedded RFID and safety screws for set up.
Talking of set up, it’s a giant departure from the present free-for-all fashion, the place anybody can stick white letters on a gloss black plate. The job of affixing the JPJePlate, together with the windshield sticker, is carried out by the automobile retailer or authorised centres – accent outlets can now apply to be an authorised installer, however should first undergo registration and coaching earlier than they’re allowed to entry the system.
The JPJePlate is affixed to the automotive with offered safety screws, that are one-way screws that require a particular screwdriver. JPJ says that these screws can’t be eliminated simply with out breaking each the screws and their covers, and forcibly eradicating the screws may injury the plate. That is an anti-theft function, however JPJ can also be permitting the 52 x 11 cm steel plates to be held by a traditional plastic body, as some automobile house owners concern injury from the screws.
Presently, Handal Ceria is the only firm appointed via an open tender course of to deal with the availability and ordering of JPJePlate. It’s a low quantity pilot mission for now, and there’s a have to streamline and test for points, therefore the lone participant.
“The number of a single firm for this section is meant to make sure a extra organised and managed implementation. This method is a sensible step by the transport ministry and JPJ to collaborate, streamline the method, and tackle any points that will come up. The implementation shall be expanded to incorporate all sorts of autos within the subsequent phases, and the addition of extra suppliers shall be thought-about,” JPJ stated.
Observe the ‘expanded to incorporate all sorts of autos’ line as yet one more specific point out of the NRO.
RFID and ANPR for Multi-lane free circulation
Other than the above-mentioned security, safety and identification (when the white plates are utilized by all sooner or later, the color of the left strip would be the differentiator, eg: inexperienced for EVs) causes, JPJePlate will “act as a variable for the built-in Clever Transportation System (ITS) ecosystem with RFID,” JPJ says.
In different phrases, a standardised quantity plate system with no variation of fonts/spacing/sizing will help in computerized quantity plate recognition (ANPR), which along with RFID are core elements of Multi-lane free circulation (MLFF). It would rid our highways of toll plazas, which are sometimes bottlenecks.
Talking of RFID, the JPJePlate has RFID embedded into the steel plate itself (versus caught on), which can then act as an antenna; that is nonetheless categorised as passive RFID (lively would require an influence supply), however the sign can be a lot stronger than the present stickers employed by Contact n Go. Every JPJePlate comes with a windshield sticker too; this has the identical performance because the steel plate and the RFID chip on the sticker acts as a backup.
We had been knowledgeable by Tonnjes that the RFID and holograms are made to the identical safety requirements as what’s utilized in worldwide passports, and the RFID ingredient within the plate can be utilized as an identifier at speeds of as much as 230 km/h – right here’s a deep dive into how RFID works within the JPJePlate context.
Not many realise this, however ANPR and RFID are already working collectively at our toll plazas – full story right here. Moreover, there are plans to allow fee for toll (pending agreements with toll concessionaires and TnG), parking (along with ANPR, which is already being utilized in some malls) and even F&B drive-throughs by the quantity plate RFID.
Points and timeline
All of it sounds good, however we do have a number of questions. In its current type, the JPJePlate is available in a single 52 x 11 cm dimension, which inserts most vehicles and numbers.
Most, as a result of particular plates just like the MALAYSIA, PATRIOT, PERFECT and PUTRAJAYA sequence positively received’t match; it appears like 4 alphabets and 4 letters are the utmost that the plate can take, primarily based on the usual font dimension, as demonstrated by IIUM 6763 on the launch. There was additionally a RIMAU automotive, nevertheless it had simply two digits. The JPJePlate web site has a preview software to your quantity, and keying in MALAYSIA generates a hilariously lengthy plate.
Additionally, vehicles with sq. quantity plate slots like these from the Japanese Home Market (JDM) could have a problem – at the moment, one can simply stack the ABCs and 123s in two ranges, as seen on the Toyota MR2 under.
Whereas the federal government has made it very clear that JPJePlate is the long run, implementation for EVs is simply step one and no timeline was shared. JPJePlate is obligatory for all new EVs registered from now, and is non-compulsory for present EV house owners. Nevertheless, the choice to take care of your outdated plate is not going to be eternally.
Buried deep within the FAQ part for enterprise companions, JPJ says that there shall be a day when all EV house owners should make the change to JPJePlate. “Present ZEV house owners will not be required to modify instantly, however they may have a transition interval to transform to the brand new ZEV quantity plate. Preserve an eye fixed out for bulletins from MOT and JPJ concerning the timeline,” it stated.
Such a mannequin is perhaps employed when JPJePlate reaches the mainstream – necessary for ICE vehicles registered after the introduced date, with a ‘transition interval’ for all different vehicles on the highway to modify. The roads would look humorous although, with a mixture of black and white plates. Nevertheless, sooner or later JPJePlate should be made necessary for all, particularly if ANPR and MLFF are to be applied nationwide.
We reckon that this could be a priority for the transport ministry (or on the very least, it is going to be on their minds), because it entails additional price for the rakyat, who may then react with anger and complaints. It received’t be a superb transfer from a political perspective – very similar to eradicating blanket gasoline subsidy – however for progress to be made, the federal government of the day should take a success. A minimum of there are not any plans to introduce JPJePlate for bikes.
By the way in which, the present JPJePlate value of RM98 per set of entrance/rear plates and the windshield sticker, could be very cheap contemplating the tech and embossing. A set of primary plastic plates already price round RM60 within the Klang Valley and we’ve seen accent outlets cost as much as RM300 for customized (learn fancy and unlawful) plates.
What do you consider this generational transfer from black to standardised white plates with tech?
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