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The Latvian Ministry Of Transport is offering its citizens a very special service. At any one of ten registration centers nationwide, drivers will be able to apply in person for a new, EU-compliant polycarbonate drivers’ license and walk out with the finished card in almost no time at all. This is possible thanks to technology from Munich-based Giesecke & Devrient (G&D), which is responsible for supplying both the cards and the infrastructure necessary to personalize them with each applicant’s information. The supply contract will run for a period of five years.
“In issuing these new drivers’ licenses, the Latvian government is offering its citizens not only a highly secure form of ID but also an exemplary service. At the same time, Latvia’s introduction of the new polycarbonate cards early next year will bring it into line with European Union requirements,” explains Hans-Wolfgang Kunz, Head of Government Solutions at Giesecke & Devrient.
The process of collecting all the relevant information, such as a person’s details, license category, signature, and photograph, will be carried out at the registration center itself, building on the present IT infrastructure. G&D is expanding existing data collection, data preparation, and personalization processes with the hardware and software necessary to issue the new licenses securely. To this end, G&D is implementing its tried and tested IMAGO software suite. Thanks to its versatile functionality, IMAGO can be integrated in existing system environments and connected to national databases without difficulty.
Following collection of the necessary details, applicants’ records are forwarded to the central transport registry. After a completed check, applicants only have to wait around 20 minutes to take possession of their finished licenses. This is because the polycarbonate cards can be personalized on the spot: all the assembled information, including the photograph and signature, is engraved into the card body on site using a laser personalization technique. This is a reliable way to prevent any manipulation of data.
The new Latvian drivers’ licenses will also carry the MAGIC-ID security feature, which is particularly effective against forgery. This employs a 3D image that incorporates a fluid motion effect depending on the viewing angle, making for a simple and reliable visual check. The effect is created by combining specially prepared print data and extremely fine lens structures. It enables police officers carrying out roadside checks to establish quickly, accurately, and without technical assistance whether or not a license is genuine.
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