mDL: Are you Ready to Issue a Secure and Interoperable Mobile Driver's License?

There's an app for almost everything these days, whether it's shopping, tracking your exercise or finding your way. Now driver's licenses are making the transition from a card to a digital application on your mobile phone; a mobile driver license (mDL). Information such as change of address, over/under 21-years-old status, organ donor status and changes in driving status can be updated to the mDL and viewed in one instance. 

mDL builds on the concept that at the start of every transaction, whether in the physical or digital space, lies a reliable, fraud-resistant identity document. The mDL allows all service providers- such as banks, courier services or governmental agencies - to check a person’s identity on their mobile phone. Considering the increased focus on privacy, people are for example now able to confirm their passport number when opening a bank account without handing over the actual document. This will significantly speed up the onboarding process, allowing people to easily authenticate themselves for services without paper documentation or physical interaction. Another market that can see dramatic effects from Mobile ID adoption is travel.  E-tickets are already providing an easy and secure way of booking flight tickets and going through the e-gates using your mobile phone. When adding identity to the mix, it would add further acceleration and security to the system. 

However, rolling out a secure and interoperable mDL that can be used to confirm identity requires all use cases to be tested first. Moreover, all entities proofing IDs, including merchants, pharmacies, banks, police officers alike, need to be able to accept mDL to help ensure smooth adoption. As standards become more apparent, it is mission-critical to harmonize intelligence and data sharing to create a seamless experience for both citizens and authorities while simultaneously empowering trust. 

UL Solutions is uniquely positioned to support driving license issuers towards the introduction of an mDL. Our colleagues possess unique mDL knowledge and expertise through their leading involvement in the development of mDL globally. Our experts bring experience gained through their leadership role in the working group for international standardization of the mDL (ISO 18013-5) and their advisory position with regional associations of issuing authorities. This is complemented by hands-on experience building an mDL Proof-of-Concept, and involvement in testing mDL solutions. We coordinated the world’s first “mDL Prototype Interoperability Party”, a test event where the interaction between mDL and mDL Reader prototypes from multiple implementers was tried out. This knowledge and expertise is made available to our clients through Advisory services, Testing and Certification and Security Assurance.

Our extensive experience in identity management and security supports the development, testing and compliance of mDL Issuance and Acceptance. Our global reach and independent view provide quality assurance to provide a more secure, enhanced and trusted digital identity that creates a safer world.