UK Developing Digital Driving License Stored in Apple Wallet App

[Reason077]

The paper licence is being phased out in the UK.

The paper counterpart is already gone, since last year. It's been replaced by a website with a secure access code system, which you can give to insurance companies, rental car companies, etc to allow them to validate your license details.

There are no plans to phase out the plastic photo card.

 

[mrbrown]

It'll be another 50 years before a US State adopts something this advanced.

Iowa was already started beta testing this in September: http://www.govtech.com/state/Iowa-Digital-Drivers-License-Pilot-Begins.html

 

[demodave]

In the future, drivers in the United Kingdom may be able to store their driver's licenses digitally in Apple's Wallet app, bringing Apple one step closer to fully replacing the traditional physical wallet.

Oliver Morley, CEO of the UK's Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, showed off a prototype version of a digital driving license on Twitter this morning (via The Independent). In the image, the Wallet app on the iPhone was shown with a virtual copy of a UK driving license, stored right next to other Wallet cards.

...

Should the digital driving license feature be introduced in the United Kingdom, it's not a stretch to imagine it also being introduced in additional countries like the United States as the digital wallet concept grows in popularity. In fact, at least one state in the United States is already testing the idea - in 2014, Iowa said it was working on a digital app that would allow customers to use digital ID cards instead of physical cards.

Article Link: UK Developing Digital Driving License Stored in Apple Wallet App

WANT!

But unfortunately, this requires bureaucrats getting excited about technology. I'm not that patient.

So on my last trip to England, I used my British passport for entry. Dad's English, I get to have one, after sufficient supplication. The European passport (maybe only the British, I don't know) has electronic components such that (when the system works), you can take a quicker "ePassport" lane. It didn't work in the day, but the concept is quite intriguing.

I've been looking for the "Driver's license" app in general, and in Texas in particular. It's just not there yet. Impatient.

But it's a great concept, and I'm glad there is some government out there (even if if is Iowa - spoken after living in Minneapolis for five years) that is actually doing something with this.

 

[Mac 128]

In the UK we only show them the card they look at pic and DOB that's it. No need to hand it over just point it at them. Also being on a screen should mean they can see it more clearly.

In major US cities, most clubs take your ID and stick it under a device, or otherwise test it for legitimacy. This would most definitely require at a minimum a portable scanner which might still require the doorman to take your phone. Look at the TSA document stations -- they have a flatbed scanner which they require the passenger to lay their phones flat on top of to read the boarding pass, so that they don't have to touch the phone and still get a good reading, which they also use for passports and driver's licenses. This isn't practical for a bar entrance. There are a number of ways to address this problem, but they have yet to be securely implemented. Any system that requires the doorman (or police for that matter) to touch or take the phone is just asking for trouble (from accidental drops if nothing else).

Depending on how his is implemented, I could see a jailbroken iPhone with a hacked fake ID into the wallet that teens use to get into clubs and buy alcohol. There would most likely need to be some kind of secure international database system available to all stores and clubs that reconciles the ID with the ID record, but I'm not sure what a business would do if that database is down, and who would pay for the cost of that system which would be manditory?

In Alabama state liquor stores accept the Apple wallet version issued now by the state for renewals. They scan the barcode just like Starbucks.

Is that part of their credit card terminals? The only problem I see with this otherwise is that merchants are currently being asked to shell out big bucks to update to chip card readers, and this might be another expensive purchase for them with dedicated and approved equipment and services to be able to verify IDs. Though if an Alabama liquor store can afford to do this, then the bar is likely already significantly lowered for everyone else.

 

[NightFox]

Interesting. But isn't that kind of a faith based system? Like...what if they lied about who they were and then DONT show up to the station to prove who they are later? What if it turned out they had all kinds of warrants on them for all kinds of crazy stuff?

I don't know. I'm sure I'm just overthinking this. I never drive without my license anyway. Would be nice to have my entire wallet inside my phone though.

If they've stolen the vehicle, it may already be reported stolen, if not 9 times out of ten they're going to arouse suspicion by being nervous, if it's just somebody else driving the car with the registered owner's permission, then they could lie about who they were, but they'd have to be able to answer possible questions like address and date of birth to satisfy the officer, and if they did get away with it and fail to produce their documents, then they might have explaining to do to their mate who they borrowed the car from when he gets a visit from the police.

As for warrants, I've never really understood the American system - don't the US police & courts have these people's addresses? In the UK, if you fail to pay a legally-enforceable fine, you'd get a court summons issued to you. Fail to comply with that and the court will issue a "Failure to Appear" warrant which the police will enforce by coming round to your house at some point in the future and arresting you.

 

[scottish]

The paper counterpart is already gone, since last year. It's been replaced by a website with a secure access code system, which you can give to insurance companies, rental car companies, etc to allow them to validate your license details.

There are no plans to phase out the plastic photo card.

Yes the paper counterpart to the photocard licence has been phased out. Paper licences still exist for those that don't have a photocard licence. Updates to address/name or licence renewal will result in a photocard licence being issued. So paper licences are still being phased out.

 

[subjonas]

In Alabama state liquor stores accept the Apple wallet version issued now by the state for renewals. They scan the barcode just like Starbucks.

Wow I didn't know this is already in the States. I see, so they need a scanner and a network connection. Looks like our convenience is their inconvenience, which means it will probably take a long while to become commonplace.
Side note - I hope they can't easily save our information when they scan our licenses...

 

[iGeek2014]

WANT!

But unfortunately, this requires bureaucrats getting excited about technology. I'm not that patient.

So on my last trip to England, I used my British passport for entry. Dad's English, I get to have one, after sufficient supplication. The European passport (maybe only the British, I don't know) has electronic components such that (when the system works), you can take a quicker "ePassport" lane. It didn't work in the day, but the concept is quite intriguing.

I've been looking for the "Driver's license" app in general, and in Texas in particular. It's just not there yet. Impatient.

But it's a great concept, and I'm glad there is some government out there (even if if is Iowa - spoken after living in Minneapolis for five years) that is actually doing something with this.

I've held a biometric passport since the service launched some years back (October 2008 I think).

I've only ever used it once, at Birmingham International Airport. Had landed after returning from the Corfu.

Scanned it on a machine then stood in front of a body detector (I think) and passed through Arrivals much quicker than some of my fellow passengers.

Another good thing about the new passports is when it came to applying for my Driving Licence I could use the photo/signature from that for my Provisional Licence

 

[peterh988]

I've held a biometric passport since the service launched some years back (October 2008 I think).

I've only ever used it once, at Birmingham International Airport. Had landed after returning from the Corfu.

Scanned it on a machine then stood in front of a body detector (I think) and passed through Arrivals much quicker than some of my fellow passengers.

Another good thing about the new passports is when it came to applying for my Driving Licence I could use the photo/signature from that for my Provisional Licence

Read a few days ago that the US have been enforcing the use of biometric passports since 1st April, without publicising it too much, which is going to affect a lot of holiday makers going on the Visa Waiver programme.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...hout-biometric-passports-could-be-turned-away

 

[dontwalkhand]

At CVS they physically swipe your license on the register when picking up drugs. Will this have a code they could scan instead? I'm sure the cops will be ok with it but it's hard to get stores to accept it....look at Apple Pay

 

[Mac 128]

Wow I didn't know this is already in the States. I see, so they need a scanner and a network connection. Looks like our convenience is their inconvenience, which means it will probably take a long while to become commonplace.
Side note - I hope they can't easily save our information when they scan our licenses...

The reality is that any business that sells liquor has to have a very expensive and difficult to obtain liquor license, which are so expensive and hard to get because they are in such demand due of the potential for making huge profits from the sale of liquor. So this would simply be a consequence of doing that kind of business, sort of a tax. So in rethinking this, not such a huge inconvenience for those merchants -- and would actually go a long way to prevent ID fraud. though such a business would have a problem for a population leaving ther physical IDs at home, should those systems ever go down.

 

[bigchrisfgb]

In the UK we only show them the card they look at pic and DOB that's it. No need to hand it over just point it at them. Also being on a screen should mean they can see it more clearly.

Also if digital it could make renewing a licence much quicker and cheaper. You could easily include in it vehicle, medical and legal information which would be of use which if stopped for a check could result in far quicker processing and a reduction in the time you are inconvenienced for.

I fully support this but until everywhere I use ditches cards for Wallet and I have a phone I know the battery will last on then I am still screwed.

Actually shop staff are actually informed to take the card, look for hallmarks etc. Most of us don't, simply looking at the DOB and picture is usually enough.

ID laws and company policies all centre around pysical cards, it will be interesting to see if virtual cards are eligible for valid ID. As it stand the laws mean you have to provide a pysical card. Not only this but it also allows the ability for fraudulent ID's to be more easily created, maybe it won't be so much of a problem for iPhones and iOS, but Androids open platform will make it more easily for unofficial apps to be created which could mimick the official ones.

 

[Mac 128]

Actually shop staff are actually informed to take the card, look for hallmarks etc. Most of us don't, simply looking at the DOB and picture is usually enough.

ID laws and company policies all centre around pysical cards, it will be interesting to see if virtual cards are eligible for valid ID. As it stand the laws mean you have to provide a pysical card. Not only this but it also allows the ability for fraudulent ID's to be more easily created, maybe it won't be so much of a problem for iPhones and iOS, but Androids open platform will make it more easily for unofficial apps to be created which could mimick the official ones.

That's why it has to be more than a visual inspection controlled by the customer.

NFC and some kind of Secure Element confirmation via Internet connected database like an Pay transaction will be a requirement.

This will also reduce fraud, since as you point out most merchants don't do what they're supposed to.

But it will also create problems where such wireless connections are problematic.

 

[iGeek2014]

Read a few days ago that the US have been enforcing the use of biometric passports since 1st April, without publicising it too much, which is going to affect a lot of holiday makers going on the Visa Waiver programme.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/...hout-biometric-passports-could-be-turned-away

Yes it's been poorly handled. I think the affected passports were issued between May and October of 2008 from what I recall.

 

[ForkHandles]

The paper licence is being phased out in the UK.

Has been, nor is being.

 

[scottish]

Has been, nor is being.

Only the paper counterpart to the photocard licence has been. Paper licences without the photocard are still valid but are being replaced by photocards when renewed or updated.

 

[American Hero]

Don't worry, it'll be another 20 years before America finally adopts this technology, since it'll be questioned, argued against, and dealt with severe resistance. After the government finally mandates that each state's DMV gives the option of an electronic license, state police departments will be resistant to purchase equipment to read them.
[doublepost=1463267626][/doublepost]

and I've been pulled over a lot lately.

Really? Lol, is it bad luck, or you must be a really bad driver.
[doublepost=1463267917][/doublepost]

The reality is that any business that sells liquor has to have a very expensive and difficult to obtain liquor license, which are so expensive and hard to get because they are in such demand due of the potential for making huge profits from the sale of liquor. So this would simply be a consequence of doing that kind of business, sort of a tax. So in rethinking this, not such a huge inconvenience for those merchants -- and would actually go a long way to prevent ID fraud. though such a business would have a problem for a population leaving ther physical IDs at home, should those systems ever go down.

However, it would be great to see certain parts of one's information from the license, such as the photo, date of birth, and the bar code pop up on a screen for the cashier to scan and review before allowing the sale of liquor. The other great part about using NFC and a fingerprint for alcohol sales involving the ID could be a special "blacklist" system established by the government for those who have been caught drinking and driving, have a history of public intoxication, and selling alcohol to minors. If someone on the "blacklist" attempts to buy alcohol, the sale is declined by the credit card machine. Cash sales shouldn't be allowed for alcohol anyways... There isn't a paper trail.

Taking away the privilege of buying alcohol to those who abuse it would be great for every society, so merchants would most certainly have a reason to upgrade to this technology.

 

[Bubba Satori]

Finally....
My dream of getting rid of my wallet is getting closer...

Be careful what you wish for.

 

[beppo]

It'll be another 50 years before a US State adopts something this advanced.

Alabama already has this. I've had my drivers license in the Wallet app for months.

 

[Mac 128]

Alabama already has this. I've had my drivers license in the Wallet app for months.

Curious if this is acceptable in other states, and by the TSA when flying?

 

[1hitwonder]

Love it! If anyone from Apple reads this, please also add school/faculty IDs. Can't wait to get rid of my physical wallet.

If Apple really wants to remove the use of a physical wallet they need to focus on us in the UK not being able to pay more than £30 with Apple Pay. This is a far bigger issue than adding forms of ID, however adding ID to carry on my device will be an awesome step forward and very welcome.

 

[nebo1ss]

I've held a biometric passport since the service launched some years back (October 2008 I think).

I've only ever used it once, at Birmingham International Airport. Had landed after returning from the Corfu.

Scanned it on a machine then stood in front of a body detector (I think) and passed through Arrivals much quicker than some of my fellow passengers.

Another good thing about the new passports is when it came to applying for my Driving Licence I could use the photo/signature from that for my Provisional Licence

What you describe as a body detector was simply taking your photo to compare it with the one on the database for your passport. I use them all the time at Heathrow airport and they are very good.

 

[mcmul]

I hope this actually materialises. I started using Apple Pay when Barclays added support. It's been very good so far, but embarrassingly temperamental. It either works in 1 second or hangs, flashing different crappy UI elements, before either failing or succeeding. Apple need to work on this. I also think they need to either lift the limit or raise it to at least £100 to at least let me go grocery shopping or to the petrol station without my wallet.

 

[peterh988]

If Apple really wants to remove the use of a physical wallet they need to focus on us in the UK not being able to pay more than £30 with Apple Pay.

That's an issue that can be resolved between the store and their merchant provider. You can use limitless Apple Pay in a few places, the Apple Store being one.

http://contactless.life/retailers/

It's just a software/firmware upgrade on the shops' terminals (assuming they're able to take the upgrade.)

Bu I agree, the reluctance to remove the £30 limit for Apple Pay has been my only negative experience. You'd think shops would want to make it as easy as possible for customers to spend as much as possible.

 

[thefourthpope]

It's already phased out.
[doublepost=1463187677][/doublepost]
You don't get sarcasm do you?

I do. Just responding.
I think if I'd missed it I would have done some sort of "are you stupid, don't you know blah blah blah" nonsense.
Or a blithely passive aggressive post like yours.