A major digital overhaul of UK driving licences is expected this year, bringing licences to a mobile app.
The look of your driving licence could soon be very different after government plans to put them on smartphones were revealed.
Tens of millions of people will be able to use an official gov.uk app as proof of their identity if the proposal goes ahead. It will be accepted as ID when voting, buying alcohol and domestic flights.
The digital driving licence project is expected to be officially launched next week, The Times reports.
But those wanting to stick to the classic physical driving permit do not need to worry as the scheme will be voluntary.
Drivers will still be issued provisional and full licences.
However, ministers reportedly hope the new app will ‘drag government in to the 2020s,’ according to the outlet.
How the digital driving licence app works
The app is now being developed by the Department of Science and Technology, set to be ready later this year.
It could be accepted as proof of ID in supermarkets too, with shops able to link the digital licence app with self-checkouts to prove their age instead of interacting with a cashier.
Law on UK driving licences
Around 50,000,000 people in the UK have a full or a provisional driving licence.
All drivers must have a correct and valid driving licence before getting behind the wheel. And of course, motorists must meet the minimum age for doing so as well as meet the eyesight rules.
Drivers don’t need to have their license in their pocket when on the road, but if stopped by an officer, they must take them to a police station within seven days.
The digital licence would live in a virtual wallet on the government app rather than being added to a Google or Apple wallets. Engineers are also looking into options for users to temporarily hide their address details from staff in shops or bouncers, the newspaper reports.
While motorists are not required to carry their licence when on the road, experts recognise the benefits the digital licence offers – although it might not be accepted in other countries.
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Jack Cousens, the head of roads policy at the AA, said: ‘There are clearly some benefits of having a digital licence, especially if you are pulled over by the police and need to show your documents.
‘However, it may be some time before it could be used and accepted abroad. Drivers already feel embarrassed if they’ve left their licence at home when hiring a car on holiday, but they’ll be annoyed if their digital licence won’t be accepted.’
Meanwhile, campaigners have raised concerns over possible cybersecurity and privacy issues, with Big Brother Watch group warning that the convenience of the app ID ‘becomes a problem when they become mandatory for basic functions.’
But a government spokesperson insisted that the technology allows digital identities ‘to be more secure than physical ones.’
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