IDEMIA Mobile Travel Credential Lets Users Pass Through Airport Security via Face Biometrics

IDEMIA has unveiled a new Digital Travel Credential (DTC) that turns a smartphone into a secure travel document to streamline the passenger experience. The solution made its debut at the International Civil Aviation Organization’s (ICAO) virtual conference in November.

The Digital Travel Credentials are based on IDEMIA’s Mobile ID technology. Each passenger can create their own credential with their smartphone, using an app to scan the chip in a government-issued e-Passport to initiate the process. The system will then use facial recognition to verify their identity once their personal information has been retrieved.

Once the setup is complete, the passenger will be able to check in on their smartphone, and will also be able to use the device as a credential when moving through the airport. The system will allow them to pass through automated security gates with only a facial recognition scan.

IDEMIA demoed the DTC system with a boarding gate simulation during ICAO conference. The solution is fully compliant with the latest ICAO standards, and is designed to work in conjunction with a country’s national digital ID application.

“Coupled with automated gates, DTC both reduce waiting time and ensure a pleasant passenger journey,” said IDEMIA Public Security and Identity EVP Philippe Barreau. “We are proud to carry out this first-of-the-kind experiment that confirms IDEMIA’s technological leadership in the ID market and opens the path for a new way of traveling in the future.”

IDEMIA is hoping that the solution will help meet the demand for more seamless travel experiences, citing an IATA survey that found that roughly 70 percent of passengers would be willing to use automated gates and biometrics to reduce processing times. To that end, the company recently partnered with Resa Airport Data Systems to conduct a selfie-based biometric boarding pilot at the Lyon Saint-Exupéry airport.

The WTTC has also argued that contactless screening solutions will help restore passenger trust in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Originally posted on Mobile ID World)