Karmactive Staff
The UK government plans to let drivers keep their licenses on their phones through a new Gov.uk app later this year. This change affects the nearly 50 million UK residents with plastic driving licenses.
The new phone-based license uses smartphone security features including biometrics and multi-factor authentication, similar to security measures used in many banking apps. When buying alcohol or boarding a UK flight, people can show their digital license instead of carrying their plastic card. Shoppers can prove their age at self-checkout stores without waiting for staff help. The app includes features like protecting addresses in certain situations, such as in bars or shops.
Physical cards aren’t going away though. The government says getting a digital license is completely optional. “Technology now makes it possible for digital identities to be more secure than physical ones, but we remain clear that they will not be made mandatory,” a government spokesperson told the BBC.
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Several other countries already use phone-based licenses, including Australia, Denmark, Iceland and Norway. By 2026, all European Union countries must offer some form of digital ID.
The government is considering integrating other services into the app, such as tax payments and benefits claims. However, privacy groups have concerns. Big Brother Watch, a privacy campaign organisation, called the potential move “one of the biggest assaults on privacy ever seen in the UK.”
The introduction of digital licenses could reduce the environmental impact of producing and replacing physical cards, though the government hasn’t detailed the specific environmental benefits. The true impact will become clearer once people start using digital licenses for day-to-day activities.
