The state Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) will examine what it would take to move a primary form of identification out of an individual’s wallet and into smartphones.
Legislation calling for a study into the development and implementation of a digital driver’s license smartphone application was recently signed by Gov. Chris Christie. The examination is expected to focus on the advantages, costs and risks associated with a move away from a traditional driver’s license.
One of the legislation’s sponsors, Assemblyman Ronald Dancer (R-Ocean, Monmouth, Burlington and Middlesex), said digital licenses would be a boon to the MVC and motorists if they can be implemented.
“Use of this app will allow the MVC to update licenses instantly and reduce the number of trips by motorists to the MVC offices, while also giving drivers the ability to register their vehicles electronically,” Dancer said. “The feasibility study’s cost-benefit analysis will provide useful information to determine if this application makes sense and is worth testing.”
The concept of a digital driver’s license has already been considered in California, Iowa, Delaware and Arizona. In some states a digital driver’s license is considered a supplement for a hard copy of a driver’s license, rather than a full replacement.
Proponents of a digital driver’s license cite a number of features with the technology, including increased privacy and security measures associated with modern smartphones, as many smartphones can be remotely locked, wiped of information or located with a global positioning system if they are lost or stolen.
Dancer said the idea of a digital driver’s license makes sense in a world where sensitive information such as car insurance and online banking accounts are already linked to smartphones.
“We are more likely to leave home without our wallet than without our cellphone,” the assemblyman said. “For those who desire the option to have an electronic driver’s license, a summons for not having a plastic (driver’s license) from the MVC in our possession will be a thing of the past.”
