A HUGE change to driving licences is about to be applied inside months, affecting 50 million Brits.
Driving licences will likely be digitalised and accessible on cellphones in a bid to “drag the federal government into the 2020s”.
The change from plastic card to app goals to make shopping for alcohol, voting and boarding home flights extra easy.
Drivers will nonetheless be issued provisional and full photocard driving licences and the digital model is voluntary.
The Gov.uk app, developed by the Division of Science and Know-how, is launching this yr.
The plans are set to be revealed by MPs subsequent week at an occasion in central London.
Following within the footsteps of Australia, Iceland, Denmark and Norway, the digital driving licence will solely be obtainable in a pockets on the app and never accessible via Google or Apple wallets.
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Builders are toying with the thought of customers with the ability to conceal their handle on the licence for privateness causes.
Supermarkets might hyperlink the licence with self-checkout know-how so prospects might be ID checked for purchasing booze with out ready for employees.
The Division of Science and Know-how can be exploring methods to combine different providers into the app, together with paying taxes, proving the precise to work and claiming advantages.
The app may also work in airports for passengers flying inside the UK, which means they will not want to indicate bodily ID paperwork like a passport or licence.
A supply informed The Occasions: “This isn’t about changing the photocard however giving individuals the choice of getting their licence on their cellphone and permitting them a brand new technique to show their identification and age.
“The photocard, be it a provisional or full licence, is the primary type of ID used within the UK and this will likely be an extension of that.”
Round 50million Brits carry a inexperienced or pink licence after it was first launched over 120 years in the past.
It has been the dimensions of a bank card since 1998.
Jack Cousens, head of roads coverage for The AA, stated it will be helpful to have the digital licence if pulled over by the police.
He did stress that it “could also be a while” earlier than they are going to be accepted in overseas international locations – for instance, when renting a rent automotive.
The EU is pushing for each member state to own a minimal of 1 type of digital identification by 2026.
Massive Brother Watch, the privateness marketing campaign group, argue that digital IDs turn into an issue “once they turn into necessary for fundamental features”.
It’s believed that the app could have “sturdy safety measures” just like banking apps.
The transfer will trigger eyebrows to rise because it provides a whiff of Sir Tony Blair’s obligatory nationwide ID card proposal.
The previous prime minister pushed for the playing cards in 2005 however the scheme was scrapped.
Writing within the Sunday Occasions, Sir Tony stated: “We want a plan to regulate immigration. If we do not have guidelines, we get prejudices.
“In workplace, I believed one of the best answer was a system of identification in order that we all know exactly who has a proper to be right here.
“With, once more, know-how, we must always transfer because the world is shifting to digital ID. If not, new border controls must be extremely efficient.”
However requested if she might rule out introducing digital ID playing cards, Residence Secretary Yvette Cooper stated: “It’s not in our manifesto. That’s not our method.”
A authorities spokesman stated that “know-how now makes it doable for digital identities to be safer than bodily ones, however we stay clear that they won’t be made necessary.”
FAQ
What is the purpose of the digital driving licence?
The digital driving licence aims to provide a convenient and modern way for UK citizens to prove their identity. It will be accessible via the Gov.uk app and help with ID checks for purchasing alcohol, boarding domestic flights, and voting. This initiative follows similar steps taken in countries like Australia and Denmark, as reported by The Timehttps://www.thetimes.com/s.
Will physical driving licences be replaced by the digital version?
No, the digital licence is voluntary and will not replace physical photocards. Drivers will continue to receive provisional and full licences, and the digital version will act as an additional option. A BBC News report emphasizes that the physical card remains the primary form of ID for now.
How secure is the digital driving licence?
The digital licence is designed with robust security measures, similar to those used in banking apps, to protect user data and privacy. According to The Guardian, users may also have the option to hide sensitive details, such as their address, for added security.
