FB pixel

South Africa to add biometrics to new driving license cards, maintains plan for mDLs

South Africa to add biometrics to new driving license cards, maintains plan for mDLs
 

The government of South Africa is planning the launch of new driver’s license cards that will have enhanced security features including biometrics to combat fraud at Driving License Testing Centers.

This is according to a recent announcement by the country’s Transport Department, reports Business Tech.

The cards will be introduced before March 31, 2024, the outlet notes, adding that it will be designed and aligned with the latest technology in the domain such as linking the license card to a smart card system. Officials said in January that the security features will meet ISO/IEC 18013 specifications for driver’s licenses.

The plan for the new licence, according to government, is part of efforts to resolve the current challenges with the license production system which has faced recurrent printing machine failures. Such failures lead to huge backlogs of unprinted license cards, as was the case recently when a breakdown led to the non-issuance of about 350,000 cards.

South Africa currently has one machine for printing license cards and it has been in use since 1998.

Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga said recently, as quoted by tech outlet MyBroadband, that the constant breakdown of the machine was due to its obsolete nature and the long period periods of its use. She said although those breakdowns result in huge backlogs, the Transport Department is able to clear them as soon as the issues are fixed.

Chikunga also emphasized the need to strengthen security with the new cards, saying they are seeking to link up the National Traffic Information System with the database of the Department of Home Affairs, for biometric verification and authentication for online booking.

Per the new plan, the current license cards will gradually phase out and the machine used for printing them will be shut down, to give way to an entirely new system.

Also, the Transport Department has reiterated its willingness to go ahead with the launch of mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs).

Business Tech notes that the plan, which was first unveiled by former Transport Minister, Fikile Mbalula, will be rolled out over the next three years.

Once the mDL system goes live, automobile users will have the option of owning both the physical license and the digital version.

Related Posts

Article Topics

 |   |   |   |   |   | 

Latest Biometrics News

 

Biometrics providers and credentials level up with new capabilities

Biometrics is a fast-evolving field about persistence, so new versions of major digital identity providers and biometric technology companies naturally…

 

Alan Goode offers insights on booming transitional IDV market on BU Podcast

Technology is transforming identity verification. According to Alan Goode of Goode Intelligence, by 2030, digital identity verification will pass traditional…

 

Share less data in more places: inching towards decentralized digital ID for travel

The travel industry is slowly shifting to a more decentralized model of digital identity. This was one of the key…

 

Clearview takes fresh legal hits over Canada class action, UK fine

Few biometrics companies have taken a bigger regulatory and legal beating than Clearview AI. It has already been a rough…

 

Mexico makes biometric identifier mandatory for all citizens

Mexico has officially introduced a digital identification system by signing a law that turned the previously optional biometric-based citizen code…

 

MOSIP highlights the UN DPI Safeguards Initiative

The United Nations’ DPI Safeguards Initiative has released 259 recommendations designed to guide regulators, advocates, donors, technology providers and governments…

Comments

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Biometric Market Analysis

DIGITAL ID for ALL NEWS

Featured Company

ID for ALL FEATURE REPORTS

BIOMETRICS WHITE PAPERS

BIOMETRICS EVENTS

EXPLAINING BIOMETRICS