The Digital Trust Service (DTS) is a secure system. It doesn’t store personal information, but instead maintains a list of encrypted digital credentials (public cryptographic keys) issued by trusted government organisations (issuing authorities).
One type of digital credential is a mobile driver licence (mDL).
The DTS will enable systems like phones or computers (readers) verify that the attributes within an mDL are legitimate and issued by a trusted issuing authority.
To facilitate verification, the DTS uses the Verified Issuer Certificate Authority List (VICAL), which is derived from an international standard ISO/IEC 18013-5.
The DTS will provide verification services that benefit:
- Australian and New Zealand transport authorities that issue mobile driver licences (mDLs)
- Members of the public who hold mDLs
- Variety of organisations that use mDLs to verify an identity of an mDL holder (e.g., police, banks, clubs, pharmacies, etc.)
It will facilitate an ecosystem where mDLs and other credentials from Australian and New Zealand transport authorities can be securely used in digital wallets.
The DTS will also ensure credentials can be easily read and verified across different states and territories and internationally.
- Accurate verification of digital credentials by ISO-compliant readers in all Australian states and territories.
- Enhanced security by verifying an mDL is from an approved issuing authority, and credentials are correct.
- Multi-wallet approach for issuing authorities, giving users greater choice of native digital wallets and ease of use.
- Expanded range and number of organisations can trust mDLs as evidence of identity.
- Build on Austroads’ National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (NEVDIS) to optimise value.
- Pool development and running costs, to reduce costs for individual authorities.
- Produce and distribute fewer plastic cards to reduce waste and emissions and improve efficiency of update and verification processes.
- Increase satisfaction of mDL holders and organisations that use mDLs as evidence of identity.
Capability 1: Verified Issuer Certificate Authority List (VICAL)
VICAL will host public encryption keys of transport authorities that issue mDLs.
VICAL will allow organisations that verify a person’s identity using an mDL to confirm that this mDL (or digital driver licence?) is authentic and from a trusted source.
Capability 2: Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) service
Transport authorities that issue mDLs will be able to use the PKI service to obtain paired public-private encryption keys, instead of having to find a new provider or use their existing one.
This will ensure that the encryption strengths of the data provided to wallets is ISO-compliant.
Capability 3: Verified credentials populated by the National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System (NEVDIS)
NEVDIS will integrate with a range of native wallets and support the onboarding, change and revocation processes for mDLs.
This will ensure TDIF2+* compliance using biometric matching and a second verification source.
Additionally, it will support standards-compliant readers to verify mDLs.
*The Trusted Digital Identity Framework (TDIF) is an accreditation framework for digital identity services and underpins the Australian Government's Digital Identity System.
Austroads is shaping global identity and verification credentials capabilities with leaders from Europe and North America and domestic experts.
- The European Commission
- The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators
- The Association of European Vehicle and Driver Registration Authorities
- Countries (France and the Netherlands)
- U.S. states (Arizona, Utah, and Maryland)
- Australian states and territories (Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Northern Territory and Western Australia)
- Australia’s major banks
- Leading identity and wallet providers.
