The Borneo Post

Personalit­y on the morning commute: Australia’s emoji licence plates

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BRISBANE, Australia: Motorists in northeaste­rn Australia can soon have their personalit­y permanentl­y stamped on their vehicles with the option of an emoji added to their licence plates.

It will be positive vibes only on the morning commute after a Queensland fi rm announced that from March drivers can add the smiling, winking, laughing out loud, heart- eyed and sunglasses emoji to their plates.

The state’s largest automotive organisati­on has welcomed the digital addition.

“For quite some time we’ve seen you can support your favourite team or town with a symbol on your number plate and using an emoji is no different,” Royal Automobile Club of Queensland spokespers­on Rebecca Michaels told AFP.

Queensland resident Laura McKee has already put her order in for the new look plates.

“It’s a bit of fun, if this brightens up someone’s day while their stuck in traffic, then so be it,” she told AFP.

With a cost of between Aus$ 100 ( US$ 70) and Aus$ 500 per plate, Queensland local Aroha

For quite some time we’ve seen you can support your favourite team or town with a symbol on your number plate and using an emoji is no different.

Liebhart isn’t a fan, and thinks the emojis could attract unwanted attention.

“The cost pushes them out of reach for so many people, no one I know will be purchasing them when they’re so expensive,” she told AFP.

“I live in a high crime area, I do believe this will entice people to target the cars who do have them.”

But resident Mark Edwards wants to see more options for drivers, to better express a driver’s changing moods.

“They should be interchang­eable so when you’re tired you can warn drivers, or when you’re a little angry you can swap them over,” he told AFP. — AFP

Rebecca Michaels, Royal Automobile Club of Queensland spokespers­on

 ?? — AFP photo ?? Photo shows a car with a licence plate displaying an emoji next to the number.
— AFP photo Photo shows a car with a licence plate displaying an emoji next to the number.

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