The new digital licence trial has opened with a new app and wider circle of participation.
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There were 1400 drivers in the initial trial and now it’s been opened to an additional 50,000 participants in areas including Narromine.
To participate, drivers in postcodes 2818, 2820, 2821, 2822, 2830 and 2868 need to download the Service NSW app and opt in to the Digital Driver Licence trial.
Service NSW Dubbo manager Paul Sutton said the app replaced the the initial beta app used for the first trial participants when it started in November 2017.
“It was a bit clunky to get started the first time and it was limited to the C-class licence, now we’ve open it up to all class licences in our local government area and we’ve included Yeoval, Narromine, Eumungerie and Geurie,” he said.
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Those who take part in the trial can use their digital licence for proof of identity and proof of age to get into pubs and clubs, as well as to show to police.
Mr Sutton said the licence was the way of the future.
“It’s much more secure than having your licence in your pocket where you have the potential to lose it. This way if you do [lose your phone] you can buy a new phone and download the app and you’ll have your digital driver’s licence ready to go. Or you can borrow a friends’ phone,” he said.
Mr Sutton said the security features were tight on the app. If a phone was lost, someone would need to know both the phone code and the Service NSW code to get access to the licence.
It can also only be active on one phone at a time, so it would not be accessible on an old phone.
During the trial drivers still need to carry a physical licence. The trail will be opened to all of NSW in 2019 on an opt in basis.