UK authorities begins trials of digital driving licence

The UK authorities has begun testing of a digital driving licence – the very best profile official doc to this point to be digitised as a part of the roll-out of the Gov.uk digital pockets.

The plan for a cellular app-based driving licence was introduced in January final 12 months, with the intention of offering it as a digital credential that is also used for age verification on-line. On the time, then expertise secretary Peter Kyle stated the performance could be out there by the tip of 2024, however the timeline has since slipped.

In a weblog put up, the Authorities Digital Service (GDS) stated the digital driving licence could be “rolled out extra broadly” later this 12 months, “enabling folks to retailer their driving licence on their cellphone, making it simpler and quicker to show who you might be and your driving entitlements”.

Testing started in December by way of a non-public trial involving employees at GDS and the Driver and Automobile Licensing Company (DVLA).

“This was the fruits of the crew’s efforts in constructing, stress-testing, designing, iterating, in addition to talking to customers, all carried out by way of partnership with the DVLA,” stated GDS, within the weblog put up.

The licence might be accessed by way of a digital pockets – now branded because the Gov.uk One Login app. The primary doc to be made out there as a digital credential within the app was the Veteran Card, launched in a really simplified type in October final 12 months. Since then, greater than 15,000 veterans have added the cardboard to their app, in accordance with GDS.

Different authorities departments are being inspired to make official paperwork out there as digital credentials by way of the pockets app, equivalent to passports.

When the digital pockets and driving licence have been introduced, non-public sector digital identification suppliers raised considerations that the app would compete immediately with their choices, particularly round age-verification companies. Subsequent conferences with authorities ministers helped to allay these considerations, and GDS has confirmed that the digital driving licence might be opened as much as accepted third-party digital ID apps as a method of identification verification.

“In contrast to bodily credentials, the security measures of digital credentials aren’t seen to the bare eye. Programmatic checking permits whoever is doing the ID test to entry these, with a consumer’s consent, and ensure every part is accurately,” stated GDS, within the weblog put up.

“That is the place our work with the digital identification sector kicks into gear. The digital verification service (DVS) trade is essential to enabling programmatic checks. This 12 months, we’ll allow them to check how they’ll share information from the digital driving licence with third events, earlier than full roll-out later within the 12 months, to allow them to play their half in making the digital driving licence helpful throughout the vary of companies the place customers presently use their bodily licences.”

The digital pockets is likely one of the foremost parts of the federal government’s new “roadmap for contemporary digital authorities” printed earlier this week.

“It’s our roadmap to make the on a regular basis interactions you will have with authorities less complicated, quicker and extra private,” stated present expertise secretary Liz Kendall. “So you’ll be able to handle your well being information, appointments and prescriptions, multi functional place. So you’ll be able to shortly do your taxes, test your automotive’s MOT standing or renew your driving licence on-line. And, finally, to place energy and management again in your fingers, if you use any authorities service.”