Secure Technology Alliance Announces New Initiative to Advance Adoption of Mobile Driver’s Licenses

Reports on initial committee participation and workshop highlighting strong industry interest in mDL adoption in the U.S.


PRINCETON JUNCTION, N.J., Sept. 11, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Secure Technology Alliance has launched an initiative to raise awareness, support development, accelerate adoption and educate the U.S. market on the technology and applications for state-issued mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs). 

mDLs store a digital version of a physical driver’s license or non-driver ID card on a mobile device for use as a form of official government-issued identity in online and in-person environments. With a handful of states in the U.S. in the early stages of adoption, interest in this technology is growing. mDLs can have a significant impact on identity verification by providing a proven mobile ID that can strongly authenticate identities to a variety of relying parties.

“The mDL market is developing rapidly – more than a dozen states are in varying stages of implementation,” said Randy Vanderhoof, executive director of the Secure Technology Alliance. “There is an urgent need for businesses and services providers – from retailers and financial institutions to healthcare providers and other organizations – who rely on customers having trusted forms of identification to become educated on mDLs and evaluate how they could benefit from a strongly vetted, standards-based mobile ID.

“The Secure Technology Alliance has participation from the essential solutions providers and end-users in this space and a proven track record for supporting the successful implementation of secure technologies, including EMV and NFC-enabled mobile payments,” added Vanderhoof. “This is what makes it the right forum to facilitate cross-industry discussion on the use of mDLs in a secure and privacy enhancing way for identity verification along with information such as age eligibility, residency and other personal attributes.”

The Alliance initiative includes participation from AAMVA1, driver’s license technology providers, mobile technology providers, security providers, testing organizations, and relying parties including retailers, financial institutions and government security agencies.

Under this initiative, the Alliance plans to:

  • Provide resources to educate the U.S. market (relying parties) on the rollout of the technology and the key uses for mDLs
  • Provide guidance on the security of mDLs and the methods deployed for authenticating mobile IDs
  • Facilitate discussions of implementation opportunities and challenges for broader adoption

Planned mDL activities include educational resources, documentation of relevant uses, webinars and industry-focused workshops that will support relying parties, requirement setters, and integrator awareness and decision making. By participating in these activities, product and service solution providers gain insights to market needs, requirements and opportunities within the developing privacy-enhanced mobile identity ecosystems.

Alliance holds first initiative-related workshop with interactive discussion
One of the first outputs of this effort was a workshop last month in Atlanta, co-organized with UL. Workshop participants gathered to learn about mDLs and develop and understand retail-focused use cases. The workshop was highly interactive, with more than 60 total attendees discussing the mDL ecosystem. Participants included state motor vehicle agencies, merchants, global payment networks, domestic payment networks, processors, POS terminal suppliers, standards bodies, government agencies, financial institutions, testing firms and additional technology providers.  

With this broad range of participants in attendance, discussion ranged from use cases to data security. Key topics covered during the workshop included: 

  • An overview of mDL technology and systems 
  • An in-depth discussion on mDL implementation, requirements and value from states currently implementing the technology
  • Commentary from industry solution providers GET Group, HID Global, IDEMIA and Thales on current mDL approaches, functionality and use cases
  • A look at the trust framework detailed in the ISO 18013-5 specification and AAMVA mDL Implementation Guide
  • Discussion on retail uses for mDLs, namely for age-restricted purchases (alcohol, tobacco), restricted-item purchases (firearms, medicines), address verification and store credit applications

For those interested in becoming involved in building the privacy-enhancing mobile ID ecosystem and defining the acceptance and use of mDLs for relying parties, join the Secure Technology Alliance. Visit https://www.securetechalliance.org/membership-information-application/.

TWEET THIS: #Mobile drivers licenses may soon be on the way - @securetechorg launched a new initiative to educate the U.S. market on mDL tech & uses https://www.securetechalliance.org/mobile-drivers-license-initiative/

About the Secure Technology Alliance
The Secure Technology Alliance is the digital security industry’s premier association. The Alliance brings together leading providers and adopters of end-to-end security solutions designed to protect privacy and digital assets in payments, mobile, identity and access, healthcare, transportation and the emerging Internet of Things (IoT) markets.

The Alliance’s mission is to stimulate understanding, adoption and widespread application of connected digital solutions based on secure chip and other technologies and systems needed to protect data, enable secure authentication and facilitate commerce.

The Alliance is driven by its U.S.-focused member companies. They collaborate by sharing expertise and industry best practices through industry and technology councils, focused events, educational resources, industry outreach, advocacy, training and certification programs. Through participation in the breadth of Alliance activities, members strengthen personal and organizational networks and take away the insights to build the business strategies needed to commercialize secure products and services in this dynamic environment.

For more information, please visit www.securetechalliance.org.

CONTACT:
Adrian Loth
Montner Tech PR
203-226-9290
aloth@montner.com

1  The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) is a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization developing model programs in motor vehicle administration, law enforcement and highway safety. The association also serves as an information clearinghouse in these areas, and acts as the international spokesman for these interests. Founded in 1933, AAMVA represents the state, provincial, and territorial officials in the United States and Canada who administer and enforce motor vehicle laws. AAMVA’s programs encourage uniformity and reciprocity among the states and provinces. The association also serves as a liaison with other levels of government and the private sector. Its development and research activities provide guidelines for more effective public service. AAMVA’s membership includes associations, organizations and businesses that share an interest in the association’s goals.