The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has launched a mobile Driver License (mDL) pilot study which will run for six months. The pilot, which includes approximately 200 state employees and stakeholders, is designed to test user acceptance and new innovative features which can only be achieved with an mDL.
“Delaware is among the first states to test a mobile driver’s license, and we’re excited to help move this new technology forward,” said Governor John Carney.
“This six month pilot will help us see what mDLs look like in real-world scenarios and address any issues which arise as a result before we decide to fully adopt and implement this application for our more than 800,000 licensed drivers and ID card holders,” said Secretary of Transportation Jennifer Cohan.
“It is exciting for us to be one of the first states to test this innovative technology which can both protect the privacy of our customers and enhance safety in ways that can’t be achieved with a traditional driver’s license or identification card,” said Scott Vien, Director of the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles.
The pilot is being run by both the Delaware DMV and IDEMIA, the company which produces the state’s physical driver licenses and identification cards.
Features of the mDL which will be tested include:
- Enhanced privacy for age verification– no need to show a person’s address, license number and birth date, the mDL will verify if the person is over 18 or 21 and display a photo.
- Law enforcement use during a traffic stop– the mDL will allow law enforcement officers to ping a driver’s smartphone to request their driver’s license information prior to walking to the vehicle.
- Business acceptance– understanding how businesses which require identification or age verification interact with the mDL will be advantageous throughout the pilot.
- Ease of Use– ensuring the mDL is able to be presented to any organization without difficulty.
- Secure access– the mDL is only unlocked and accessible by the mDL holder. The mDL is accessed through an app on the owner’s smartphone and is opened/unlocked by entering a user created pin number or by using facial recognition.
