Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology
California could have become the fifth state to issue enhanced driver’s licenses (EDL) and identification cards embedded with radio frequency identification (RFID) chips, but last Friday, state lawmakers suspended the legislation over privacy concerns. The RFID-equipped cards were to be optional, but ultimately it was a lack of measures to prevent law enforcement from tapping into the chips that killed the bill, Wired reports.
California EDLs originally were intended to be a solution to long wait times at the US-Mexico border – drivers carrying EDLs would not have to show a passport to re-enter the US at land border checkpoints where RFID readers are used. Michigan, New York, Vermont and Washington are the four states that already employ EDLs, and residents of those states don’t need a passport to re-enter the US at most land borders if they have one of the special licenses.
Privacy advocates are worried that if more states start using EDLs and enhanced ID cards, they could become mandatory across the US, allowing the government to surveil the motoring public without its knowledge. Information on the RFID cards is stored in a secure database at the Department of Homeland Security. “It’s not difficult to imagine a time when the EDL programs cease to be optional,” says Jim Harper, the Cato Institute’s director of information policy studies. “The government also tends to expand programs far beyond their original purpose.”
Ben Hueso, a California senator from San Diego, supports RFID technology and offers a different viewpoint. “Enhanced Driver’s Licenses can provide a significant economic benefit to the state of California, while strengthening border security,” Hueso wrote in a press release in May, according to Wired.
We’re not sure what’s best for California regarding RFID technology, but considering how much of an impact technology like this could make on its citizens’ privacy, it’s encouraging to see lawmakers and privacy advocates treading carefully and airing concerns. Stay tuned for more on this issue – it isn’t going away any time soon.
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CA stops plans for RFID-enabled driver’s licenses [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 05 Sep 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Getting your driver’s license can be a tremendous event. It signifies a new-found level of freedom and a chance to go out and explore more of the surrounding world. The privilege of being licensed to drive a car is a wonderful thing, yet not everyone thinks of it that way. A teenager with a learner’s permit is eager to make the jump to a full license – even if they might not be totally ready to carry that piece of plastic in their wallet or purse. A bill introduced in the spring of 2009 would make the learning process a bit longer by mandating graduated license programs.
