This drives me nuts…a police officer can look up my license if I offer my name and address. Why do I need to carry an easily lost piece of plastic and paper to prove I’m me? It’s harder to forge a record on the DMV db than my license…
This is a genuine question, if anyone knows the reasoning behind this I’d be thrilled.
But, in general, the further you get from physical artifacts and in-person authentication, the easier it gets to fabricate. I was pretty annoyed earlier this year when I had to show up at a brokerage office for something that was done over email and phone during the pandemic. But I also sorta understand the preference.
There's definitely a tradeoff involved with doing everything online vs. physically showing up in an office.
If somebody looking roughly like you (or your DMV photo anyway) learns your name and date of birth, that could be an issue: Unlike a physical or digital license/ID, you can't revoke biometrics, and you can't change your name/DOB.
You know, it's pretty common for the police to accept registration and insurance on a phone.
I suspect officers will be able to use their own judgement and maybe bow to social pressure to accept it anyway.
Their own judgement might also go the other way depending on circumstances, and even with a digital license available, they might require a physical one.
(without taking the phone)
I can understand a reasonable wish from police departments to verify someone's identity even if they're in a place with bad cell coverage, or during a thunderstorm, or when the radio's busted. An ID card is pretty strong evidence of your real ID that doesn't require power or a radio connection or a computer. A cop can just look at it and say, no, that's clearly your older brother.
Having spent a lot of time around today's kids, particularly the ones who grew up in my house, I have the utmost faith in their ability to create new kinds of mischief. They'll be alright.
A place I used to work had 3D badges, so that your face kind of appeared to be sticking out as you inspected the badges. (Lenticular lenses.) I thought this was a neat security feature, so I color printed a copy of my badge and just put it in my badge holder in front of the actual badge to see if anyone would notice mine wasn't 3D. They did not notice, never in 5 years.