The state of Iowa may be the first in the nation to launch mobile drivers licenses.
Described as being an app that “co-exist[s] with the traditional plastic card,” officials in Iowa say the iOS and Android compatible platform in question is now in development.
“Despite news reports about a 2015 release,” the WSJ reports, those behind the innovative app won’t confirm the timing of the app’s arrival, largely due to ongoing worries related to privacy and security.
One concern is how a police officer would interact with someone’s smartphone. For instance, what would happen if someone who was pulled over received an incriminating text while the officer was checking the license on the app?
While there remain many unanswered questions, one thing is for certain. The company working on the app knows a thing or two about drivers licenses.
“MorphoTrust USA,” the WSJ says, “has worked on driver’s-license technology for nearly a half-century. It counts among its achievements creating the first driver’s license with a photo in 1958.”
