Govt plans to combat vehicle theft with microdot patches

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on July 24 issued a draft notification to amend the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, allowing motor vehicles and their parts, components, assemblies and sub-assemblies to be affixed with permanent and nearly invisible microdots that can be read physically with a microscope and identified with an ultra violet light source.

Microdot technology involves spraying the body and parts of a vehicle – or any other machine – with microscopic dots. This gives the object or vehicle a unique identification. Use of this technology is expected to help check vehicle theft and the use of fake spare parts.

The microdots and adhesive would be permanent fixtures that cannot be removed without damaging the asset – the vehicle itself.

The notification says that the microdots, if affixed, will have to comply with AIS (Automotive Industry Standards) 155 requirements.

The Ministry has sought comments and objections to the draft notification within 30 days.