It would be a dream to be able to use your smartphone or smartwatch to carry all your documents with you when we travel for pleasure or for work. Unfortunately in our country we have not yet arrived except at SPID. In other countries such as Spain, however, it is possible to have one digital driving license valid throughout the national territory. Now Europe wants consider the hypothesis to do a similar thing but on the whole area. Here is the proposal.
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The European digital driving license is not only useful, but would make it possible to reduce renewal costs and streamline all issuing procedures
This proposal is part of what is known as the European digital wallet, a unique application which will digitally bring together all our documentation even if, for the moment, it is still under development. The exact dates for its official implementation are unknown. From Brussels therefore comes the proposal which, if accepted, would lead to first digital driving license in the world. In fact, no other country has ever adopted it on such a broad level and the reasons are mainly related to security. Imagine the convenience of traveling with just one smartphone, where now even payments are digital.
Furthermore, as reported by the European Commission, having a digital driving license would also help Checks. Where a citizen has his license withdrawn, it would be impossible (only thanks to an organized network between countries) for him to use a vehicle in another country of the European Community. This also and above all translates into greater road safety. It goes without saying that this security has one positive effect reduction of costs for the state coffers since there would (in theory) be fewer problems on the roads.
Why would the digital driving license help the country?
First of all, in addition to a matter of personal convenience, the European digital driving license could help every country to save on both issuance and renewal costs. Personally, I spent almost €50 (excluding visit) to get a new license since the old one had expired. Now, these costs include various taxes and also the printing and issuing of the card. Well, with the digital license these costs would be drastically reduced in addition to a savings in the use of plastic and chips.
What are the critical issues of a digital document?
The adoption of digital documents in a country can bring numerous benefits, but there are also some critical issues to consider. In fact, Europe is "delaying" its decision for precisely these reasons.
- accessibility: the use of digital documents requires access to computer devices and the internet, but not all citizens have access to these tools. This can create unequal access to public services and information
- computer security: digital document management requires a series of computer security measures to prevent unauthorized access, loss or corruption of data. This requires investments in IT infrastructures and in the training of the personnel who must use them
- Costs: The adoption of digital documents requires an initial investment in IT infrastructure, software and staff training. There may also be ongoing costs associated with maintaining and updating the system
- resistance to change: The adoption of digital documents requires a cultural and behavioral transformation, which can be difficult to manage. There may be resistance to change from civil servants and citizens who are used to dealing with paper documents
- legal guarantees: The legal validity of digital documents may not be universally recognized, depending on local and international regulations. Legislative changes may be needed to ensure that digital documents are legally binding.
In short, the adoption of a digital driving license as well as other digital documents presents numerous opportunity, but also challenges which must be taken into account to ensure that the implementation is effective and sustainable over time.
