Comment Re:Extend the character set? (Score 1) 567
It's more than that the 4th and 5th are model designators. The 8th is for engine and 11th is for manifacture plant. The article skips the real problem the year A-Zwere used in the 80s and 90s. and 1-0 now ending with the 2010 model year. There were no complaints when it went to 17 digits in 1981. I say bite the bullet and go to a two digit year and add any more for new information and expantion. It would be probably be cheeper in the long run.
