Finland’s Digital Travel Credential Pilot Shows Promising Results

Finland’s effort to trial a Digital Travel Credential (DTC) for Finnair passengers has yielded positive results. Ninety-one percent of participants reported finding it easy to set up their DTC, 96 percent said it was easy to send their DTC to travel and border authorities ahead of their flight, and 90 percent said they would use it again when traveling in the future.

The pilot got underway in August of last year. Participating passengers were required to look at a camera and place their passport on a designated reader device, with their biometric and passport information matched to their pre-registered digital credentials. In January, the pilot was expanded to include departures and arrivals via 22 Finnair destinations, allowing more passengers to experience the benefits of the DTC system.

The pilot program was a collaborative effort involving several key players. TECH5, a company specializing in biometric technology, joined forces with Auctorizium, a Singapore-based company with expertise in ePassport Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and validation services. Together, they developed the DTC system in partnership with Finnair, Finavia, and the Finnish police. The project was also funded by the European Commission, which underscores its significance and potential impact on future EU regulations.

The technology behind the DTC involved a dedicated mobile app, enabling travelers to create their digital travel credentials by taking a selfie and uploading a passport photo. TECH5’s AI algorithms powered the app’s facial recognition technology, verifying the user’s identity and facilitating the creation of the DTC on their smartphone. Auctorizium contributed its knowledge in PKI, ensuring the security and accuracy of the identification process by encrypting and decrypting biometric data with cryptographic keys.

By the end of March, the Finnish Border Guard concluded the pilot, reporting significant success. A total of 466 individuals volunteered, resulting in 355 successfully processed DTC border checks, with each check taking an average of just eight seconds.

While there were reportedly some technical glitches, the benefits to passengers and the improved processing times offer an encouraging signal as European authorities continue to explore digital and mobile-based identity technologies.

Source: Keesing Platform

–

(Originally published on Mobile ID World)