The concept is very new, but we will likely be seeing a lot more of them soon. In the US, Ford has just become the first manufacturer to offer them on new cars.

The digital license plates are legal in all 50 states, as well as Canada and Mexico, but can only be sold in Arizona, California and Michigan. In those three states, digital plates are now available as an optional extra when you buy a car from Ford dealerships.

The E ink technology used for digital plates gives them a monochrome look, with users able to pick between light and dark modes. Users can also add a personal message to the bottom of their plate, under the registration itself.

Perhaps more interesting is the fact that these digital license plates have 5G data and GPS connections.

Basically, they can be connected to a smartphone app, which then alerts the owner if the vehicle is stolen, showing its real-time location. ​The plates are also designed to survive extreme temperatures and tampering by potential thieves.

T​he elk is booting the common loon off Michigan's wildlife license plate. 
Starting Dec. 1, the giant mammal will be featured on the new plates, which cost $35 and help support wildlife management in the state. 
The swap coincides with next year's 100th anniversary of the elk's reintroduction to Michigan. 
“We are excited for the changing of the guard,” Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason said. “The loon license plate has had a long run, and helped to raise over $2.6 million for wildlife habitat since 2006.”
The loon plate debuted in 2001, according to the Michigan Secretary of State. 
Once common in Michigan, elk disappeared from the state in the 1800s due to "unregulated take and lack of habitat," according to the DNR.  
Seven elk were brought from the western U.S. to Wolverine, Mich., in 1918. An elk survey in January 2014 estimated the state's herd to be at 668. 
"The healthy and abundant elk population in the state today is a result of intentional land management and increased law enforcement," the DNR said in a news release. 
This is the first time the wildlife plate has gotten a new image. 
Of the $35 purchase price, $25 will go toward supporting wildlife habitat work, said Katie Keen, wildlife communications coordinator for the DNR. 
Specialty license plates can be ordered through mail or fax by completing the Wildlife Habitat License Plate Order Form on the Secretary of State's webpage. They can also be purchased at any Secretary of State branch office. The plate will be mailed within 14 business days from the date it is ordered. 
Don't worry, loon lovers: You can still buy the old plate through Nov. 30.  
Contact staff writer Ann Zaniewski at 313-222-6594 or [email protected].