Iowa To Test Digital Driver's Licenses

[Srgnt_Ballistic]

Source: Mashable

 

It looks like Iowa will be piloting a limited program in which a number (Mashable reports hundreds) of it's licensed drivers will be able to use a "Mobile Driver License" on their smartphone in place of their usual plastic card. This brings up a lot of questions for me. Like how secure is this? Where would these be accepted? How much money could this save and will it net a positive environment impact? What if your phone dies and you have no other way to identify yourself? Would this be more of a backup for someone that might have lost for forgotten their wallet and/or identification.

There are some environmental and administrative benefits. Obviously the DMV wouldnt' have to print as many new or replacement IDs. In the US people under the age of 21 typically have portrait oriented ID cards and overs have horizontal ones. Things like this and a persons address, height/weight/hair and eye color could easily be changed digitally without need for printing a new cards or carrying one of those annoying change of address slips with you.

A number of items have all ready moved in this direction including proof of insurance cards, flight boarding passes, membership cards, etc... I remember working at grocery stores in college and having to deal with international students that didn't want to carry their passport and ID around with them everywhere so they brought blown up photocopies of their identification in order to try and be able to write checks.

 

This seems to be a natural progression forward into the digital age. How long before we can (hopefully optionally) just have chips embedded in or arms?

 

 

 

 

[AlwaysFSX]

Oh for fucks sakes, how hard is it to carry your license while driving?

 

Iowa's license looks boring as can be, step it up guys.

[Syntaxvgm]

Oh for fucks sakes, how hard is it to carry your license while driving?

 

Iowa's license looks boring as can be, step it up guys.

lol

It's almost 5 grams! 

Sooo hard to carry 

I imagine this getting hacked somehow and someone getting access to every drive's id in thee state.

[AlwaysFSX]

lol

It's almost 5 grams! 

Oh dear, gotta save that weight for your baggie of coke.

[Syntaxvgm]

Oh dear, gotta save that weight for your baggie of coke.

mfw coked

[Dietrichw]

I can't see this as a main license. But a good temp or backup. When you first get your license you don't have to have that slip of paper until it arrives. I do admit I have forgotten my wallet before driving twice, if I was pulled over (luckily not) I would have been able to use that.

[ionbasa]

Oh for fucks sakes, how hard is it to carry your license while driving?

 

Iowa's license looks boring as can be, step it up guys.

To be fair. Having a lot of cards in your wallet can be an issue. I have 1 Drivers license, 2 ID cards (work related) two CCs, 2 Debit cards, RFID keyless entry card, a few store cards (Costco, Sams, Vons), and usually some cash, a few business cards, and some receipts.

 

My wallet actually is kinda fat. Anything to trim it down would help. I've been using CamCard and Evernote to digitize all business cards I have. Not enough places let me use Google Wallet or Apple pay, so I still have to carry 4 different payment cards around. At least Starbucks has their app so I don't need to carry around a card.

 

Maybe in the future my work IDs could also be digitized, and the door locks would support NFC in addition to RFID so I can slim down on my wallet size. 

 

It is a real issue though since I leave my wallet in my back pocket. I usually have my phone in my front right pocket and my keys in my front left pocket.

[AlwaysFSX]

To be fair. Having a lot of cards in your wallet can be an issue. I have 1 Drivers license, 2 ID cards (work related) two CCs, 2 Debit cards, RFID keyless entry card, a few store cards (Costco, Sams, Vons), and usually some cash, a few business cards, and some receipts.

 

My wallet actually is kinda fat. Anything to trim it down would help. I've been using CamCard and Evernote to digitize all business cards I have. Not enough places let me use Google Wallet or Apple pay, so I still have to carry 4 different payment cards around. At least Starbucks has their app so I don't need to carry around a card.

 

Maybe in the future my work IDs could also be digitized, and the door locks would support NFC in addition to RFID so I can slim down on my wallet size. 

 

It is a real issue though since I leave my wallet in my back pocket. I usually have my phone in my front right pocket and my keys in my front left pocket.

My solution was getting a thinner wallet..

[ionbasa]

My solution was getting a thinner wallet..

But then, where would I leave all the things I need daily?

[AlwaysFSX]

But then, where would I leave all the things I need daily?

Inside the wallet. My first couple of wallets were pretty thick, tri-fold things with some decently thick material. My favorite was a bi-fold that was extremely thin and I could pack like 12 cards in there no problem plus cash and it still didn't take up a lot of space.

[zacRupnow]

A cop that isn't inclined to the tech world: "License and registration please."

You: "Here it is."

Cop: "Hmmm, looks different from the iApple ones."

You: "Apple is partnered with the License App so they're version looks different from the Android app."

Cop: "Oh, alright, good day to you sir."

 

Your Thoughts as You Drive Away: "Did I really just get away with showing him a picture of a random license?..."

[burnttoastnice]

How techies see this: Screenshots + Photoshop = Totally Legit Driver

[kainobean]

this would not affect me at all... i carry at most 4 cards with me and no wallet... wallets are to thick for me and with mens jeans pockets getting ever so small you can hardly get your phone into i save all the space by just having my license and a credit and a debit card.... then i grab specific cards if i need or think i gunna go to that place that day like subway card or kroger card... 

 

this just seems silly to me and seems like an easy way for minors to beable to hack up a what seems to be legit looking id...

[ionbasa]

How techies see this: Screenshots + Photoshop = Totally Legit Driver

 

this would not affect me at all... i carry at most 4 cards with me and no wallet... wallets are to thick for me and with mens jeans pockets getting ever so small you can hardly get your phone into i save all the space by just having my license and a credit and a debit card.... then i grab specific cards if i need or think i gunna go to that place that day like subway card or kroger card... 

 

this just seems silly to me and seems like an easy way for minors to beable to hack up a what seems to be legit looking id...

You do know that when you get pulled over, the officer still looks up the DL record on their mobile workstation or they radio it in to dispatch/sheriffs office. Its not like you're just going to flash a screenshot and your on your way.  On top of that, its not just for being pulled over.

 

Ever return something to a store and have been asked to swipe your DL? Stores actually check to see if people are on a 'bad list' if they've committed embezzling or fraud. Of course, this is usually for items over $100, but still, you're not going to get away with a fake, whether it be physical, or digital.

[burnttoastnice]

You do know that when you get pulled over, the officer still looks up the DL record on their mobile workstation or they radio it in to dispatch/sheriffs office. Its not like you're just going to flash a screenshot and your on your way.  On top of that, its not just for being pulled over.

 

Sounds interesting. But it doesn't really prevent someone from using their twin's app(etc) when pulled over. If the officer asks for ID and you actually have ID then R.I.P.

[kainobean]

You do know that when you get pulled over, the officer still looks up the DL record on their mobile workstation or they radio it in to dispatch/sheriffs office. Its not like you're just going to flash a screenshot and your on your way.  On top of that, its not just for being pulled over.

 

Ever return something to a store and have been asked to swipe your DL? Stores actually check to see if people are on a 'bad list' if they've committed embezzling or fraud. Of course, this is usually for items over $100, but still, you're not going to get away with a fake, whether it be physical, or digital.

 

i was talking more of minors going into stores to buy alcohol not driving... i know they look up your driving record but stores dont they just look at the license then your face and be like ok seems legit... just seems like an easier way for minors to get hands on alcohol which they dont need in the first place... heck most adults dont need it either.... but it will defently help young people ruin their lives early on... i seen it happen a lot and knew someone who started young and just couldnt controll themselfs and ruined their life pretty bad..

[Sors]

All I would like to know is, when a police officer stops you and ask for your papers, do you have to hand him your phone?  or just show it to him?

 

This just seems like a very efficent way to stop people from recording the police when they are stop, since you have to use the licence app instead of the camera.

[Bouzoo]

Oh for fucks sakes, how hard is it to carry your license while driving?

 

Iowa's license looks boring as can be, step it up guys.

I forgot my license, and my wallet for that matter a few times and got pulled over once, so it would've been nice to have this. Luckily I managed to avoid a ticket, otherwise I would have $50 less. 

[Iankiller99]

Finally, tech news in my state!