FE-Schrift
Encyclopedia
or has been the only typeface
used on new vehicle registration plates of Germany since November 2000, except for plates issued to military
-registered vehicles, which still use the former DIN 1451
typeface. The abbreviation "FE" is derived from the compound German adjective "" combining the noun "" (falsification) and the verb "" (to hinder).
The motivation for the creation of the typeface was spun in the late 1970s in the light of Red Army Faction
terrorism
when it was discovered that with the then-standard font for vehicle registration plates—the DIN 1451
font—it was particularly easy to modify letters by applying a small amount of black paint or tape. For example, it was easy to change a "P" to an "R" or "B", a "3" to an "8", or an "L" or "F" to an "E". Modifications to FE-font plates are somewhat more difficult, as they also require the use of white paint, which is easily distinguished at a distance from the retroreflective white background of the plate, in particular at night.
The original design for the typeface has been created by who was working for the (Federal Highway Research Institute of Germany) at the time. The typeface was slightly modified according to the results of tests that lasted from 1978 to 1980 at the University of Giessen (Dept. of Physiology and Cybernetic Psychology). Whilst the DIN typeface was using a proportional font, the is a monospaced font (with different spacing for letters and numbers) for improved machine readability. Faked letters (e.g., "P" to "R") appear conspicuously disproportionate.
The final publication in German law for the usage on license plates includes three variants - normal script ("" - 75 mm high and 47.5 mm wide letters and 44.5 mm wide digits), narrow script ("" - 7 mm high and 40.5 mm wide letters and 38.5 wide letters) and a small script ("" - 49 mm high and 31 mm wide letters and 29 mm wide digits). The legal typeface includes umlaut vowels as these occur in German county codes at the start of the license plate number. The narrow font allows to put nine characters on a standard Euro license plate — shorter numbers are supposed to be printed with larger spaces between characters as to fill the available space on the plate.
When the was finished in 1980 the pressure for its adoption had lessened already. Its distribution was furthered by another event being the introduction of the Euro license plate
. Some federated states of Germany introduced the new design during 1994 and since 1 January 1995 it was introduced nationwide by a federal law that came to include the as well as it had been in the planning since the 1970s. The shift in legislation matches with the first Schengen zone to lift borders during 1995. With the extension of the Schengen zone in 1998 the new license plate design found EU-wide acceptance (even for non-Schengen countries) thereby lifting the older requirement of adding an extra country code plate on the car when roaming to other countries which constitutes an advantage to citizens. Shortly later the option to be issued an old (non-Euro) license plate design were dropped on 1 November 2000 and the legislation dropped the older typeface for license plates alongside. The is mandatory in Germany since that time although older license plates continue to be valid and there are exceptions for historic cars that can still get a new license plate in the DIN typeface.
Other countries have begun to introduce a false-hindering script as well either taking over the or using a derivate variant.
Some countries allow the as an alternative to the standard typeface especially in combination with an Euro-style license plate. This is used often for vanity plates for German car models, e.g. in Australia and Turkey.
Typeface
In typography, a typeface is the artistic representation or interpretation of characters; it is the way the type looks. Each type is designed and there are thousands of different typefaces in existence, with new ones being developed constantly....
used on new vehicle registration plates of Germany since November 2000, except for plates issued to military
Bundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
-registered vehicles, which still use the former DIN 1451
DIN 1451
DIN 1451 is a realist sans-serif typeface that is widely used for traffic, administration and business applications. It has been defined by the German standards body Deutsches Institut für Normung since 1936.-Overview:...
typeface. The abbreviation "FE" is derived from the compound German adjective "" combining the noun "" (falsification) and the verb "" (to hinder).
The motivation for the creation of the typeface was spun in the late 1970s in the light of Red Army Faction
Red Army Faction
The radicalized were, like many in the New Left, influenced by:* Sociological developments, pressure within the educational system in and outside Europe and the U.S...
terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
when it was discovered that with the then-standard font for vehicle registration plates—the DIN 1451
DIN 1451
DIN 1451 is a realist sans-serif typeface that is widely used for traffic, administration and business applications. It has been defined by the German standards body Deutsches Institut für Normung since 1936.-Overview:...
font—it was particularly easy to modify letters by applying a small amount of black paint or tape. For example, it was easy to change a "P" to an "R" or "B", a "3" to an "8", or an "L" or "F" to an "E". Modifications to FE-font plates are somewhat more difficult, as they also require the use of white paint, which is easily distinguished at a distance from the retroreflective white background of the plate, in particular at night.
The original design for the typeface has been created by who was working for the (Federal Highway Research Institute of Germany) at the time. The typeface was slightly modified according to the results of tests that lasted from 1978 to 1980 at the University of Giessen (Dept. of Physiology and Cybernetic Psychology). Whilst the DIN typeface was using a proportional font, the is a monospaced font (with different spacing for letters and numbers) for improved machine readability. Faked letters (e.g., "P" to "R") appear conspicuously disproportionate.
The final publication in German law for the usage on license plates includes three variants - normal script ("" - 75 mm high and 47.5 mm wide letters and 44.5 mm wide digits), narrow script ("" - 7 mm high and 40.5 mm wide letters and 38.5 wide letters) and a small script ("" - 49 mm high and 31 mm wide letters and 29 mm wide digits). The legal typeface includes umlaut vowels as these occur in German county codes at the start of the license plate number. The narrow font allows to put nine characters on a standard Euro license plate — shorter numbers are supposed to be printed with larger spaces between characters as to fill the available space on the plate.
Adoption process
European vehicle registration plates
A European vehicle registration plate is a vehicle registration plate, a metal or plastic plate or plates attached to a motor vehicle or trailer for official identification purposes. The registration identifier is a numeric or alphanumeric code that uniquely identifies the vehicle within the...
. Some federated states of Germany introduced the new design during 1994 and since 1 January 1995 it was introduced nationwide by a federal law that came to include the as well as it had been in the planning since the 1970s. The shift in legislation matches with the first Schengen zone to lift borders during 1995. With the extension of the Schengen zone in 1998 the new license plate design found EU-wide acceptance (even for non-Schengen countries) thereby lifting the older requirement of adding an extra country code plate on the car when roaming to other countries which constitutes an advantage to citizens. Shortly later the option to be issued an old (non-Euro) license plate design were dropped on 1 November 2000 and the legislation dropped the older typeface for license plates alongside. The is mandatory in Germany since that time although older license plates continue to be valid and there are exceptions for historic cars that can still get a new license plate in the DIN typeface.
Other countries have begun to introduce a false-hindering script as well either taking over the or using a derivate variant.
- Bosnia and HerzegovinaVehicle registration plates of Bosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina vehicle registration plates have held their current form since 1998. Currently the Bosnia and Herzegovina vehicle registration consists of seven characters: five numbers and two letter arranged in the following order X00 - X - 000...
- in 2009 the new Euro-style license plate design was introduced along with the typeface. The new design (dropping the national crest from the old Euro-style license plates as it was used since 1998) is more similar to the Euro license plate (full EU accession is scheduled for 2013). - Malta - a Euro-style license plate design was introduced in 1995 and after the official accession to the EU in 2004 the new Euro license plates were standardized on the .
- Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
- South AfricaVehicle registration plates of South AfricaSouth African number plates are unique in each of the provinces. Each province has their own number plate design and colours, as well as numbering scheme.-Material, shapes and availability:...
- the numbering scheme and license plate design were changed in 1994 which did also introduce the . - TanzaniaVehicle registration plates of TanzaniaNumber plates of Tanzania date back to at least 1933 in Tanganyika and to the 1950s in Zanzibar. They are the same size as their British counterparts and used the same font until the late 1980s. Mainland Tanzania and Zanzibar use slightly different formats....
, NamibiaNamibiaNamibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
- other African countries followed with Tanzania to use the since the 1990ies already. - UruguayVehicle registration plates of UruguayUruguay requires its residents to register their motor vehicles and display vehicle registration plates.-Departmental coding:Plates issued in each department begin with a one-letter code...
- the old numbering scheme with three digits was exhausted in 2001 leading to a new scheme in 2002 in Montevideo which did not only include four digits but the new design came to use the as well. The new license plate design is mandatory for Uruguay since 2011.
Some countries allow the as an alternative to the standard typeface especially in combination with an Euro-style license plate. This is used often for vanity plates for German car models, e.g. in Australia and Turkey.