The state of Indiana has been looking into mobile driver’s licenses since 2019, and, apparently, it liked what it saw. The state says that drivers should be able to get a digital licenses should be available within the next year and a half, if they so choose.
A mobile license is a driver’s license that drivers will be able to access on their phones. The supposed advantage of a mobile license is that it limits the amount of info drivers have to show, say, a bartender or bank teller, if all they need is age or identity verification. The license would come on a mobile app and require a facial scan like Face ID or a correct fingerprint via Touch ID to unlock.
Digitizing something that arguably no one asked to be digitized has “future privacy snafu” written all over it. Officials are already aware of and discussing the obvious cybersecurity risks, but there’s one big risk Indiana drivers won’t have to worry about; unlawful search of their cellphones.
You’ll still need your ‘real’ license to drive
“There’s no way I’m handing a police officer — a group not known for their restraint when it comes to abusing information — my unlocked phone in the event of a traffic stop just because my driver’s license is on there,” you might say. It’s an understandable reaction. At least in the beginning, Hoosiers who opt in for a mobile license won’t need to do any of that…