The Hindu Business Line : Implementing high security number plates

After much debate and delay the new regulations on security number plates for roadworthy automobiles are likely to be implemented and made mandatory from next year.

Most most mature automotive markets use high security number plates to improve monitoring and reduce the incidence of tampering and counterfeiting. The high security licence or number plates will also bring with them a certain degree of uniformity to display of numbers on vehicles owned and operated by individuals and institutions.

The plans for implementing high security number plates have been going back and forth and both the Government and the automotive industry had years ago identified the need to speed up the process. Much of the delay and debate has been due to the fact that the base material for the plates are as yet not manufactured in India.

The high security number plates are made from high quality aluminium that is coated with a specialty reflective glaze. The licence plates also feature black hot stamping foil — that make the new generation number display impossible to tamper with or duplicate. — is to be sourced from abroad. The new plates will dramatically improve security for on-road vehicles and also help better policing of city traffic.

Currently, the only stipulation that needs to be complied with is the colour-coding for licence plates, which require individual owner vehicles to have black lettering on a white board/plate and black lettering on yellow background plates for taxis, public transport, commercial vehicles and institutional vehicles. There is no regulation on the type of base material used. So, either painted steel plates or embossed acrylic sheets are used now.

The new high security number plates will, nationwide, sport a uniform font and a unique hologram that cannot be counterfeited. The licence plate that will display the vehicle registration number will also feature other information such as the engine and chassis number. The new number plates will also be much more durable than the currently used steel plates. With better protection from corrosion, the security plates usually last almost as long as the life of the vehicle.

The deadline for the implementation of the high security number plates rule has been postponed many times and, after the intervention of the apex court, the Centre has asked State governments to draw up a roadmap for the implementation of the new requirement. The fact that the new aluminium base plates have to be imported, mostly from German manufacturers, and the fact that the plates cannot be pressed at ill-equipped roadside shops are now the main reasons being cited by State governments for being unable to implement the regulation.

Once the plates are imported and distributed, specified franchisees are expected to be authorised to press and finish the number plates for fitment on vehicles. In all likelihood, the new high security licence plates regulation will be applicable for newly registered vehicles, and then extended for old vehicles.

The regulation will be imposed from 2008 onwards and the Government is talking about offering a two-year period for vehicle owners in all the States to comply with the new regulation.

I own a Honda Unicorn (first launched model) and it is about three years old. I want to change the rear tyre, which is a 3.00-18 size to the 100/90-18 size that is now as standard fitment in the new sporty Honda Unicorn. Will there be a pro blem with this? If no, then what is the best tyre available in the Indian market in that size category? I have seen MRF, Ceat, Dunlop and TVS brands, but I am confused. My priorities are safety and comfort and then price.

Anil Kumar Sethy

Upsizing the rear tyre of your three-year old Honda Unicorn to the 100/90-18 type should not be a problem. This is a wider, slightly lower profile tyre that will suit the 18-inch wheel your bike came with.

The only issue could be the wheel rim, if your Unicorn is fitted with spoked steel wheels. So, ideally, you should correct dents or bends on the edges of the steel wheel’s rim, so that the new wider tyre fits correctly. Wider tyres are best suited to be fitted on to alloy wheels, but are not necessarily a bad fit for spoked steel wheels.

The points that you will also need to remember when you choose wider tyres are that they tend to increase contact with the road.

This leads to two side-effects — one, there will be a slight drop in ride comfort due to the increased feedback and, two, the bike’s fuel efficiency will drop marginally due to the higher friction from the increased road contact.

Amongst the current brands, MRF has a couple of good options.

With an aggressive tread pattern, the MRF Zapper Y may be the best fit for your requirement.

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