ONCE
Showcase region: Hessen, Bavaria, and North Rhine-Westphalia
The digital driver’s license and vehicle registration document
Vehicle registration and driver’s license checks can take a long time: police officers need to see the driver’s documents and confirm their validity by phone. This process is time-consuming for everyone involved, including the inspecting authority who must access the central driver's license register.
A digital driver’s license and vehicle registration will drastically reduce the time required for police checks and eliminate the need for telephonic confirmation. Furthermore, the driver’s license can be managed via the online portal of the respective licensing authority - applications for the revocation of the driving license or for a new vehicle class can be made from a device at home. Additionally, a digital driver’s license offers the possibility of constantly keeping track of one’s demerit points in the register of Driver Fitness of the Federal Motor Transport Authority in Flensburg.
The digital driver’s license and the digital vehicle registration will initially be tested by ONCE through regulatory sandboxes and experimentation clauses.
Car rentals, car sharing, and transport services
Registration for mobility services, for example, for a rental car or car sharing, requires the customer’s driver’s license and ID to be verified, a time-consuming and costly process.
With the digital accessibility of the driver’s license and identification document, this process can be automated and accelerated. There is no need to present the original documents and transmission errors are eliminated. Consequently, this makes the process much quicker and easier for customers, and considerably reduces the administrative workload for mobility service providers.
Municipal ID: A way to revive municipal structures
Nowadays, cities and municipalities offer a wide range of activities such as museums, swimming pools, sports facilities, cultural clubs, parks, and meeting places for young and senior citizens. pProject ONCE aims at increasing the attractiveness of these offerings for local citizens. Therefore, a municipal ID will be introduced that will enable more preferential access to municipal services based on the data available in the registration office. This means that, for example, senior citizens will get easier access to open-air swimming pools.
One hurdle for this scenario is the absence of the passport photo which is an important visual feature in passport and ID documents helping to establish the identity of the holder. Neither the eID feature of the GermanID card nor third party ID systems currently include a picture and, so far, can only be used for digital services.
With a verified personal picture in the ONCE-compliant wallet, citizens will be able to identify themselves on-site without having to show an official ID document, like at the abovementioned cash desk at the outdoor swimming pool.
One ID for all mobility solutions
Many big German cities offer a wide range of public transportation options. Buses and trains are now complemented by car sharing, rental bikes, and scooter sharing providers.
Despite this development, for many citizens, the most convenient solution is their own car parked right outside their door. They require neither a ticket nor registration with a company before starting a ride.
However, using a digital identity, can make it easier to use public and private transport services. If the personal ID is stored on the smartphone, all means of public transport can be used directly by initiating relevant transactions and transmitting personal data.
Digital spa and guest card
Tourists often make use of regional offers while staying at a hotel. In tourist regions, there is usually a spa or a guest card issued by the hotel. Further information about current offerings is not communicated to the hotel guests.
With the introduction of a digital spa or guest card, tourist services will be bundled on the smartphone: the digital card can be used for regional and municipal offers, such as free or reduced entrance fees and other services. Additionally, hotels can decide whether they want to send the current information and individual recommendations directly to their guests’ smartphones.
