I wonder if they sensed that at some point number plates would be automatically recorded wherever you drive, even when not causing an accident or doing anything

I wonder if they sensed that at some point number plates would be automatically recorded wherever you drive, even when not causing an accident or doing anything illegal. Just a funny coincidence or is there some connection?: OP writes that legislation started 1 January 1904, which happens to be the time epoch in the classic Mac OS, which was released in 1984 with the well-known 1984-styled commercial.