MODERNIZATION OF THE DMV BY GINA CHOI
The Department of Motor Vehicles, most commonly referred to as the DMV, is a state department that registers vehicles and licenses drivers. In California, roughly 33 million vehicles and 23 million drivers have been registered and licensed through the DMV. This department covers many roles, such as documenting ownership of registered vehicles, maintaining driving records of individuals, and issuing identification cards. In addition, they regulate vehicle manufacturers, administer the Financial Responsibility Law, and investigate user complaints. The emergence of automobiles in the late 19th century led to the need for new regulations. In 1901, laws in California allowed individual cities to license modes of transportation such as bicycles, carts, and automobiles. In 1905, the Secretary of State took this role in order to establish one uniform system. For a $2 fee, a vehicle would be carefully examined and issued a license number upon approval. The Secretary of State administered this progress until 1913, when the role was transferred to the State Treasurer and the Engineering Department, which would later become the Department of Public Works. In 1915, the Department of Motor Vehicles was officially created along with the “Vehicle Act of 1915.” Since then, the department has made many improvements, some of the more recent ones incorporating STEM technology to the field. One technology that has been implemented successfully with DMV offices include digital signage, which are screens that use LCD, LED, and projection to display content such as images and video.
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This self-service kiosk is designed for customers who need their vehicle registration card and license plate tag immediately
● Modernization of the DMV
STEMATIX Magazine
