In the last few years, DMVs all over the US have been embracing technology in an effort to enhance efficiency and improve customer service. Some of them have introduced paperless vehicle title systems, issuing electronic titles, which makes the title transfer and vehicle registration renewal procedures less complicated and more convenient for both car owners and DMV employees, while others are offering various online services, and even thinking about replacing traditional metal license plates with electronic ones.
In addition to enhancing customer satisfaction, these efforts for modernization of the DMV are aimed at preventing frauds associated with identification and registration documents issued by the DMV and protecting customers’ privacy, as well. One such innovation that could help enhance security involves issuing digital driver’s licenses and ID cards, making these identification documents more difficult to falsify.
The idea of digital ID cards has been around for a while now, with benefits such as enhanced fraud protection and improved security being cited by DMVs that are considering a complete digitalization of the ID card system and the driver licensing process. A smart driver’s license, which is also used as an identity card in the US, is equipped with a microchip, which stores an individual’s personal information, along with driver’s license details, such as date of issue and date of expiration, as well as license type and restrictions, if any. Since the card has a chip with abundant storage capacity, much more information can be stored on it, including info from a person’s driving record, such as traffic tickets and violations, and demerit points, which police officers could access on site when they pull over a driver.
The information on the card’s microchip is embedded securely and can only be accessed through a biometrics authentication method, using a scanning device or a biometric reader to verify a person’s identity. This means that the sensitive information is well protected and can’t be retrieved or stolen by an unauthorized person. This system reduces the risk of identity theft, as it contains a series of security features, such as biometric fingerprint data, digital photo, a ghost image, and even an embedded hologram, which makes it impossible for someone to copy your license or ID.
In addition to enhanced security, another benefit of the implementation of a digital ID system is that it’s far more convenient for customers, as it eliminates the need for them to go to the DMV each time they need to renew, or replace a lost or stolen license or ID card. Given that your picture, fingerprints, and signature are stored in the DMVs database, you can just apply for a replacement document online and have it sent to you by mail, saving you a lot of time and money.
As far as the potential impact on privacy rights is concerned, the only thing that people should be worried about is that police officers will have access to their motor vehicle records at all times, giving them the chance to share sensitive information about a given individual to marketing organizations or their employers, which would be a clear invasion of privacy.