The digital license is expected to complement the physical photocard license.
Digital driver’s licenses could be rolled out as soon as this year and, once established, potentially available via mobile devices as experts discuss the pros and cons of taking such measures.
A “product launch” in central London is expected to take place next week, ahead of the arrival of a digital version of the driver’s license via a “GOV.UK” app.
The driving license app is anticipated to function in tandem with the photocard license and may be used as identification while buying alcohol or even to cast a ballot.
The Times reports that drivers will still receive provisional and full photocard licenses and that the digital license program will be optional. Ministers reportedly hope the digital service will “drag the government into the 2020s,” even though it will not implement the mandatory national ID card that has been hailed in recent years.
“There are clearly some benefits of having a digital license, especially if you are pulled over by the police and need to show your documents,” stated Jack Cousens, The AA’s head of roads policy, in an interview with The Times.
Nevertheless, he pointed out that it might take some time before local administrations and police forces approve them and allow Britons to use them overseas.
He stated: “Drivers already feel embarrassed if they’ve left their license at home when hiring a car on holiday, but they’ll be annoyed if their digital license won’t be accepted.”
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) serves 52 million drivers and 46 million vehicle keepers in the UK and has significantly expanded its digital offerings in recent years. Drivers may now check their driving license details online, together with their car’s tax and MOT status. Digital reminders for drivers’ vehicle taxes are also advantageous.
“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 spokeswoman told The Times.
A minimum two-year probationary period for younger drivers and required health checks are two of the modifications to EU driving license regulations that the European Parliament approved in 2023 with the goal of enhancing road safety.
More recent developments:
Police condemn very worrying’ vandalism as speed cameras are taken down hours after they were installed. When the DVLA issues a license notice, drivers who passed their test prior to 2015 run the risk of receiving a hefty £1,000 punishment.
The whole list of 2024’s top-selling used automobiles includes Ford, Mercedes, Vauxhall, and others.
Members of the European Parliament are in favor of allowing drivers to obtain a digital driver’s license to assist the EU’s single market.
This would be completely equivalent to their actual driver’s license and enable them to access it on
