New Mexico Brings Digital Driver’s Licenses to Apple and Google Wallets

New Mexico has recently joined a growing list of states that support digital driver’s licenses and state IDs in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet. The initiative aims to provide residents with a more convenient and secure way to present their identification at various checkpoints and businesses.

The New Mexico Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) first proposed legislation to offer electronic credentials to customers at no additional cost in January of this year. Residents can add their digital driver’s licenses or state IDs to Apple Wallet and Google Wallet by scanning the front and back of their physical ID, capturing a scan of their face, and submitting their digital application for verification. Once added, digital IDs can be pulled up and used in the same way as a digital payment card, eliminating the need to carry physical IDs in certain situations. This process is similar to the one used in Iowa, where residents can also add their IDs to Apple Wallet and use them at select TSA checkpoints and businesses.

However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has criticized states for their quick adoption of digital driver’s licenses without implementing additional protections for cardholders. These include preventing ID issuers and verifiers from tracking the usage of digital cards and preserving the right to not use a digital card for those who don’t own or can’t afford a smartphone.

Apple and Google have implemented privacy protections by encrypting information and keeping devices locked even after presenting the ID. However, these solutions do not fully address how state or federal governments could access these new digital systems. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has also warned against misuses of biometric information, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring and accurate claims about biometric technologies.

New Mexico is among the states that currently offer digital IDs for both Google and Apple’s apps, along with Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, and Ohio. Some states, like Ohio, Hawaii, and Iowa, offer IDs for Apple Wallet but not Google’s app, adding complexity to the rollout. This reflects the ongoing efforts to expand digital ID capabilities across different platforms, as seen with HID’s integration of mobile credentials into Google Wallet.

Source: Engadget

–

December 5, 2024 – by the ID Tech Editorial Team