April 15, 2021
Americans are resoundingly in favor of renewing their driver’s licenses and other government documentation online, according to a new report from iProov.
iProov, the world leader in providing face authentication technology to securely assure the identity of online users, commissioned a survey of U.S. citizens to gauge their appetite for digital services.
A whopping 90% of respondents say they would pay an additional fee to renew their driver’s license online, while nearly a third (31%) admit to driving with an expired license to avoid an in-person visit to the DMV to complete the renewal process.
“It’s very clear that consumers prefer the convenience of doing things online,” said Joe Palmer, president of iProov Inc. “Until now, an in-person visit has been necessary to ensure the security of driver’s licenses and other sensitive documentation. With iProov’s Genuine Presence Assurance technology, that has changed: organizations can now securely verify user identity online. This enables an individual to complete an application, for example a REAL ID upgrade, using a smartphone or computer from the comfort of their home.”
Five key themes emerge from the report data:
1. U.S. citizens want to access services online: When asked how the DMV could improve customer service, the most popular choice was ‘Allow me to do things online’ (54%), which beat other options such as offering more locations or appointment times.
From a list of services citizens would like to complete online, respondents of all genders and ages agreed on the top three: Renew driver’s license (54%), renew vehicle license (48%), and register to vote (43%).
2. U.S. citizens are willing to pay for online convenience: The revenue opportunity for the DMVs is clear: 86% of respondents said they would either definitely pay to renew a driver’s license or ID online or would consider it.
90% gave an amount they would be willing to pay, with 35% saying they would pay $20 and above.
3. U.S. citizens want the DMV to provide online identity services: The U.S. economy depends on citizens being able to prove their identity using their driver’s licenses and identity documentation. Most Americans (88%) have used their licenses to prove ID in the real world (either to a bank or other organization) while 62% have used their license to prove their identity online.
When asked if the DMV should provide a digital identity service to citizens, only 12% said “no”; 64% said “yes” and the rest didn’t know.
4. U.S. citizens trust face verification: U.S. consumers trust face verification (which is very different to facial recognition or surveillance). When asked how the DMV could protect identity securely, 45% said face verification.
5. Government departments are losing out on revenue as citizens delay in-person appointments: 31% of respondents acknowledged that they have risked a fine and driven with an expired driver’s license rather than go in-person to the DMV, while 42% have put off getting a REAL ID because it requires an in-person appointment.
“There’s a real opportunity here for the DMVs to make citizens’ lives easier while increasing revenues and simplifying operations. It also increases security: biometric face verification technology has been proven to be more accurate than humans at matching an image to a physical person.”
“Our work with governments around the world has demonstrated that citizens want a user experience that balances convenience with reassurance on security and privacy. That’s what iProov delivers.”
iProov’s Genuine Presence Assurance technology enables governments and enterprises to verify the identity of an online user with the highest levels of security, usability, privacy and inclusivity. Genuine Presence Assurance provides confirmation that an online user is the right person (not an imposter), a real person (not a mask or photograph or video) and that they are authenticating right now (not a digitally injected deepfake or other synthetic media).
iProov works with governments, banks and other enterprises globally. The Australian government recently selected iProov to provide face verification for national digital identity, joining the Singapore and Estonian digital identity programs in using Genuine Presence Assurance to verify users online. iProov is also used by the US Department of Homeland Security, the UK Home Office and UK National Health Service (NHS).
Access the report: Digital Identity in the USA – What Do Americans Want From The DMVs?
