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MD Launches Digital Driver's License Pilot Program

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GLEN BURNIE, Md. (AP) - Maryland has launched its pilot program for a phone-based digital driver's license.

The state's transportation department said in a statement Thursday that volunteers are working with various institutions and businesses to test out the IDs.

The state said the APP will serve as a secure companion to physical IDs. They're also more private. Digital driver's license holders only have to display the information required in a particular situation.

The state is collaborating with the Maryland company Gemalto. The program is a two-year effort funded by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.