MorphoTrust launches nation's first mobile driver license pilot in Iowa

BILLERICA, Mass. -- Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) employees are the first in the nation to use the MorphoTrust mobile driver license (mDL) software as part of a new pilot announced today by MorphoTrust USA (Safran). MorphoTrust, the identity solutions provider to more than 80% of U.S. motor vehicle agencies (MVAs), including Iowa, has delivered a test version of the secure mDL software to an appointed Iowa DOT user group who will assess and validate the solution for use in situations where physical licenses are typically presented. The pilot will also test record updates to the Iowa DOT’s customer record system with the changes rendered on the phone in real-time. Information such as change of address, over/under 21-years-old status, organ donor status and change in driving status, endorsements, or restrictions, can be updated to the mDL immediately.

The MorphoTrust mDL software carries the same level of trust as its physical counterpart, the driver license/ID card. The mDL software includes both visible and covert security features that are linked and layered in the digital image seen on screen. These features not only ensure a high level of security, they also enable the mDL to be quickly and reliably authenticated when presented for identification purposes and protect against fraudulent reproduction. In addition to PIN and fingerprint-based security features already built into phones used in the pilot, the mDL app can be secured using MorphoTrust facial recognition unlock technologies which requires the user to take a selfie and use a custom PIN.

“Iowa is first to take advantage of MorphoTrust’s commercial mDL software – an innovation being used to develop the nation’s first secure mobile driver license,” said Bob Eckel, CEO of MorphoTrust. “And, just as the physical driver license is more than a picture on a card, so the mobile driver license must contain the same level of security and authentication ability for it to be useful and trusted.”

“We were very encouraged by the interest generated by our first public announcement of Iowa’s Mobile Identity Application,” said Paul Trombino, director of the Iowa Department of Transportation. “Although we’re not yet ready to release the mDL for customer use, the lessons learned in this pilot will demonstrate the use case for our mDL Application to be offered in the future as an option to all citizens across the state, and may help guide other states who want to launch similar digital identity programs. I firmly believe this is an important first step in creating a one person, one identity, one credential opportunity for our customers.”