Mobile driver’s license among digital IDs Singapore government adding to platform

As part of plans to introduce more digital services and enhance user convenience, the government of Singapore has announced that more digital ID cards will be added to the Singpass digital government platform, and the country’s digital payments wallet expanded, reports Channels News Asia (CNA).

The Smart Nation and Digital Government Group (SNDGG) – a government initiative overseeing digital transformation projects — was quoted by CNA as saying a mobile driver’s license (mDL) is to be rolled out from March 7, in addition to the digital practicing certificate for health professionals which has been part of the system since January.

According to the SNDGG, other expected improvements on the Singpass digital ID app will make it possible for business users with valid Corppass accounts to view their company profiles and information using the platform as from the end of this month. Corppass is the authorization system put in place to enable digital service access for employees who intend to carry out corporate operations with the government, writes CNA.

Other government plans include increasing use cases for the digital payment platform GovWallet as the country advances with its objectives of digital inclusion and cybersecurity.

Also, users will be consulted to give their feedback on what kind of improvements they expect, notes CNA. In this light, a citizen co-creation group which has representatives of different sociological components has already been created to hold open dialogue on how to better promote digital inclusion.

The Singpass app currently has more than 3.5 million users and has been functioning in four languages since February. It is the app that allows users access to some government and private sector services, and there are plans by the Government Technology Agency to expand its features and include more language options to make its use easier for people carrying out transactions in vernacular languages.

Singaporean authorities say the mobile driver’s license to be introduced will be used as an alternative official digital ID document by drivers in the country and will contain a lot more information about the holder than does the physical version of the license.

The mDL and other improvements to the Singpass system, the SNDGG says, highlight the “government’s commitment to offer citizens and businesses convenient and secure access to data.”

On the GovWallet improvement, the SNDGG says: “GovWallet improves the user experience significantly by digitizing the process of collecting physical vouchers or redeeming credits from government schemes…GovWallet also improves inclusion because even people without bank accounts can view and utilize their government payouts via apps like LifeSG.”

In the past, the Singpass app has been updated to allow for biometric face verification of users either on their personal computers or smartphones.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  digital inclusion  |  digital wallets  |  face biometrics  |  government services  |  identity document  |  identity verification  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)  |  mobile app  |  Singapore  |  Singpass