Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law Wednesday that calls for the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to create digital driver’s licenses and other forms of identification.
According to a press release announcing the move, digital IDs “offer several advantages in terms of convenience, security and compatibility. They are accessible on smartphones and other mobile devices, making it harder for individuals to lose or forget their license or ID, and also allow residents to update their documents electronically.”
The bill also includes what the release described as protections for user security and privacy, with rules about collection, use, sharing and sale of personal data. Users of digital ID are not required to hand over their mobile devices to police, and the entire digital ID program is voluntary, as is typical.
“Digital driver's licenses will make life easier for drivers across New Jersey,” Murphy said in the release. “Innovation has always been at the core of who we are as a state, and my administration has embraced that spirit to deliver practical solutions that improve everyday life for our people.”
New Jersey joins at least 15 other states that have adopted digital ID, according to the release, with 10 more about to join that club. New Jersey has set aside at least $1.5 million for its new mobile ID program.
At least 4.5 million people in the U.S. have mobile driver’s licenses, according to recent analysis from Government Technology. That includes residents of New Jersey’s biggest neighbor, New York. Officials there recently said that about 260,000 state residents have enrolled in the year-old mobile ID program.
Digital IDs aren’t free of controversy.
Concerns exist, for instance, about when the technology will increase the digital divide, including for people who have disabilities. Privacy advocates, meanwhile, worry that what they see as a rush toward digital ID will lead to security and privacy problems.
