Global: Advancements in Biometrics and Digital Identity Across the Globe

The convergence of biometrics in electronic devices and ID documents to support digital identity has been a major theme in recent news. Key developments include Google incorporating new fingerprint scanners with Qualcomm and Suprema technology in its flagship smartphone, Fingerprint Cards securing a significant order for enterprise security keys, and evolving standards for biometric passports. Additionally, mobile driver’s licenses have seen mixed progress in the U.S., the UK is exploring digital ID possibilities, and IDScan.net’s age verification feature has sparked controversy.

Top Biometrics News of the Week

Thales Strategic Marketing Director for Digital Identity, John Cullen, reviewed the progress of mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) in the U.S. and Australia. In a guest post for Biometric Update, Cullen highlighted the privacy advantages for consumers and predicted a slow but inevitable adoption of mDLs as a secure foundation for digital identity.

In Florida, the Smart ID initiative has been discontinued pending a new contract, with a revised version expected next year. North Carolina has established legal equivalence for mDLs with physical ID cards and plans to provide a digital option by July 2025. Meanwhile, Illinois is considering a proposal to launch a tender for the state’s digital ID, currently awaiting the Governor’s approval.

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair recently emphasized the need for digital ID to support effective immigration controls and boost the national economy. This call, however, was misinterpreted by some media as an endorsement of mandatory ID cards. OIX’s Nick Mothershaw reiterated the potential of user-controlled digital IDs issued by regulated private sector providers.

Globally, policymakers and media continue to grapple with the real and perceived risks of digital ID and biometrics. Concerns about the storage of encrypted templates versus freely available personal information online persist.

The Tony Blair Institute has proposed several policies related to AI for the UK government, projecting significant financial gains from digital ID through reduced benefits fraud, improved tax procedures, and efficiently targeted emergency support. The new government has already expanded the DSIT to lead on digitizing government service delivery.

A cross-border digital identity pilot under the EU4Digital program was successfully completed by Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova. This pilot tested interoperability for authentication across eIDAS nodes, enabling access to foreign digital public services, with more mutual recognition initiatives expected.

ICAO is updating the standard for biometric passports, and recent workshops by EAB explaining these changes and the underlying ISO standards have been well-received.

Americans will soon be able to store their biometric passports digitally in Google Wallet by scanning the NFC chip or a QR code. Support for other countries’ passports will follow, adding to the mobile driver’s licenses from several states, access control credentials, and support for 170 banks currently compatible with Google Wallet.

Google is upgrading to an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor from Qualcomm, using Suprema algorithms for its Pixel 9 smartphone. This new sensor is expected to address performance issues reported with the optical sensor in previous models.

Fingerprint Cards has secured over $1 million in orders for fingerprint sensor modules for security keys used in logical access control. The buyer, a FIDO-certified global enterprise biometric hardware provider, aligns with Fingerprint Cards’ strategy to support zero trust access control implementations.

Vending machines are being equipped with age verification capabilities to sell age-restricted goods. In two U.S. states, bullet vending machines using IDScan.net’s ID document scanning and face biometrics checks have faced local resistance.

NIST has published new editions of both the FRTE 1 and 1:1 reports, showing improved accuracy among updated algorithms. These reports include first-time submissions from Indian developer Sansap Technologies and Taiwanese developers Taiwan Computer Vision and Telexper International.

The full text of the AI Act has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, starting the compliance clock for companies. The AI Act, officially passed in March, will come into law on August 1st.

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