To BUMP or not to BUMP
By: Brad Seraphin, BUMP.com Marketing Director
Date: 2015-04-21
BUMP.com is a new start-up internet company headquartered in San Diego, CA that aims to help connect drivers on the road through a new type of communication platform which BUMP calls "license plate messaging."
Essentially, BUMP has created an email address for every car on the road by combining the state and license plate number. For example, a message can be sent to California plate ABC123 by emailingCA.ABC123@bump.com.
So why would anyone ever want to send an email to a car?
Perhaps a car has blocked you in. Or perhaps an annoying car alarm is going off outside your window. Or perhaps you simply want to introduce yourself. BUMP demonstrates a variety of use cases for their new product in their introduction video
Drivers can choose to opt into the system by �claiming their plate� on the BUMP.com website, which lets them control how they want to send or receive �BUMPs�, who can contact them, what type of messages they will accept and even what type of emergency notifications they want to receive. Users can also determine if they want their BUMP accounts to be linked with their other social network applications such as Facebook and Twitter.
Founder and CEO Mitch Thrower unveiled the concept for BUMP in early September 2010 at the Silicon Valley convention for emerging technologies called DEMO. He plans to launch BUMP's fully functional product at SXSW Interactive convention in March of 2011 including both iPhone and Android mobile applications.
Until then BUMP remains in private beta, but encourages users to join its growing community of early adopters by signing up for a beta pass at bump.com or by joining the BUMP.com's Facebook community.
�Whether you want to say hello to someone you see on the road, let drivers know something�s wrong with their car, or receive real-time discounts on goods and services based on your own preferences, this site is for you,� said Thrower.
BUMP�s new communication platform is not just for drivers. Businesses can also take advantage of this new means of communication. Using Auto License Plate Recognition technology, or ALPR, BUMP allows businesses to communicate on the platform too. Imagine a security camera in a drive-thru at a fast food restaurant that can scan your license plate and automatically know what you ordered in your past visits. This is very valuable information to the restaurant.
A menu of privacy settings allows members to choose the type of information they want to receive about products and special offers, based on their own likes, dislikes and travel or purchasing habits.
�The fusion of the existing vehicle registration network and BUMP.com's technology creates a completely new way of communicating with other people,� said Thrower. �So, log onto BUMP.com, claim your plate, and BUMP someone today. Who knows, you may already have a BUMP or two waiting for you.�
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