Victorians sign up for mobile driving licenses in droves but let down at the pub

Victoria reports 200,000 people signing up for mobile driving licenses (mDLs) within the first 48 hours of their introduction this week. The latest Australian state’s mDL rollout, however, has not all been smooth sailing as some establishments discovered that the digital IDs do not work with their scanners.

More than 4.5 million drivers are eligible to use the digital document which will be accessible through the myVicRoads and Service Victoria apps. The mDL is equipped with a dynamic hologram and offers a timed QR code that can be scanned to verify its authenticity and prevent fraudulent use.

“Our Digital Driver Licences will make it easier for Victorians when they go about their day-to-day lives – whether that’s driving around, renting a car, collecting a parcel, or visiting a licensed venue,” says Roads Minister Melissa Horne.

The technology, however, has turned out to be incompatible with scanners used in some pubs and clubs which may have to resort to physical ID checks, The Age reports.

Industry association Community Club Victoria has expressed concern that the introduction of the scheme would be fragmented if it did not work with existing systems, while member of Victoria parliament David Hodgett says that the government had failed to deliver fully integrated mobile licenses.

“Whilst NSW had this technology five years ago, under Labor Victoria will still be reliant on pen and paper systems in some settings,” he says.

Victoria Roads Minister Melissa Horne responded that the state has worked with a number of organizations and businesses on the rollout. While some businesses are adjusting to the new IDs, Victorians are encouraged to carry their physical licenses.

The state of Victoria follows similar mDL rollouts after New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland. Northern Territory announced this week that it will become the fifth jurisdiction to introduce mDLs with pilots expected in 2025.

In April, Western Australia announced it had awarded a 16-month contract for mDLs to software company GenVis. Tasmania also announced this week that it is exploring mDL, according to Yahoo News.

Article Topics

Australia  |  biometrics  |  consumer adoption  |  digital ID  |  driver's license  |  mDL (mobile driver's license)