Gemalto and Alaska's Division of Motor Vehicles have announced they will continue their work of providing credentials to citizens with the additional goal of helping the state become Real ID compliant by increasing security of the state's driver's license and identification cards. The most noticeable change will be transitioning to a laser-engraved polycarbonate card body. According to Gemalto, what sets this material apart is the permanently fused layers with security features embedded in between, which prevents successful tampering with document information or swapping photos without visible destruction to the card. Gemalto says: "Laser engraving can also be used to create personalised patterns and other unique information relating to the citizen's identity that is invisible to the naked eye. Additional security features include surface embossing and irreversible laser‐engraved personalisation, which are used by law enforcement agencies because these features can also be tactile."Alaska has chosen to implement Multiple Laser Images(MLIs), a level one security feature (visible to the naked eye) where different images such as a portrait, logo, symbol or numbers can be seen depending on the viewing angle. It's also used by law enforcement and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents because it is easy to recognise and difficult to replicate. "The ideas suggested by Gemalto for new secure card features will not only earn us Real ID compliance but ensure that our residents' identities are that much more protected," said Marla Thompson, DMV director for the State of Alaska."Gemalto has been transitioning government entities to polycarbonate for 20 years – starting with passports – so we are well-positioned to help Alaska with this shift," said Steve Purdy, vice president of Government Programs, Gemalto. "With the addition of new security features, we will not only be able to create an attractive card but also greatly reduce the ability to tamper with or forge the document. Gemalto is looking forward to working with Alaska to bring enhanced service to residents with these latest innovations as well as exploring new technologies for the future."
Alaska extends driver license contract with Gemalto
