this post was submitted on 22 Apr 2025
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Mildly Interesting
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I wonder what the practical reason is for not just allowing full alphanumeric number plates. Each digit would then have 32 possibilities (I, O, Z, and S should be avoided to prevent confusion with 1, 0, 2, and 5). This gives 34.36 billion possible number plates which seems sufficient for at least the next couple years.
The issue is probably that those I, O, Z, and Ss are already on plates since the system is different?
It doesn't matter if there are number plates that already have those letters, but the idea is to stop issuing new ones with them.
Currently there is a system. One number, three letters, three numbers. So no chance of mixing up certain characters. If you introduce a different system you will need to make sure you know what system is being used. With your plan you could get a plate that looks exactly like the old system except it's using 0 instead of O.
I suspect there is also a lot of benefit in knowing where numbers and letters will be for having more accurate plate recognition cameras.
The current system does not issue plates with
IorO.Ah, interesting. Thinking about it, do they have vanity plates? If so then all my arguments are invalid.
Yes, every US state sells vanity plates. In California it actually was a programme started by a certain actor who was governor at the time and later became one of the most well-known US presidents of the 20th century (Ronald Reagan).