The biggest overhaul of drivers’ licences in nearly 30 years is being tested in New South Wales with a trial of digital licences.
The new technology, that will hold critical licence data in a smartphone app, is from today being tested on a select group of users after almost one year of development.
9NEWS had an exclusive first-look at the app that will be used during roadside police checks and as proof of identification in pubs and clubs.
“People live and breathe by their phones because it is their mobile office … everything in their life is on these phones,” Roads Minister Melinda Pavey said.
The move to digital licensing is the most significant change since the card was first laminated in 1989, with more than 700 people signed up to the trial in Dubbo in the state’s west.
And security is key, with the app encrypted with the same technology used by the banking sector and designed with features to prevent tricking the system.
“Even if you lose your phone, the data will still be there and the encryption will ensure it is secure,” Ms Pavey said.
With real time capabilities, the app show can if a licence has been suspended or expired, with a “shake” feature determining whether it is a screenshot.
A separate feature also provides instant age verification that will be used as proof of identification in pubs and clubs.
“Nowadays, it is pretty easy to get your hands on a fake license, but this will negate that,” Shawn Morris from Crown Hotel said.
“It makes my job a lot easier and it makes compliance issues a lot easier.”
Trial participants will still need to carry their physical licence with them during the trial – as will all drivers when digital licenses are initially rolled out.
If the trial is successful, digital licenses could be rolled out across the state by the end of next year.