Biometric authentication is the identification science of using a physiological or behavioral characteristic of an individual (such as fingerprints, facial geometry, iris, blood vessel pattern in the retina, voice, signature, etc.) to attempt a confirmation of the identity for that individual "automatically" with a high degree of certainty. The Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS), as well as other licensing authorities, uses a combination of information in order to identify an individual, such as his/her Social Security Number, name, date-of-birth, etc. Since there is a real possibility that biometric data may one day replace or supplement existing identification data for drivers, AAMVA currently participates in the development of standards for biometrics and actively seeks possible biometric applications for its customers.
The possible use of a biometric was part of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1986. However, biometric technology in the late 80s had not advanced to the point where it was economically feasible to be used in a driver licensing environment. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) contracted with San Jose State University College of Engineering in 1995 to determine if biometric technology had since advanced sufficiently to be included in the driver licensing process and, if it had, to make a recommendation on which biometric to use. The new DOT contact for biometrics is the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
The study revealed that fingerprints were the only biometric that met CMV requirements (criteria). The study recommended that AAMVA adopt several biometric standards and develop "best practice" documents for those jurisdictions wanting to use a biometric as part of their licensing procedure. It also recommended that AAMVA develop "model legislation" for those jurisdictions that require changes to their state laws in order to implement a biometric.
Currently all biometric related work is being done through the InterNational Committee for Information Technology Standards(INCITS) technical committee M1.
Biometrics Documentation
Contact: Geoff Slagle, Director, Identification Standards, (703) 342-7459.