Gemalto to Upgrade Alaska Driver’s License Security

Alaska’s Division of Motor Vehicles is stepping up the security of its driver’s licenses with help from Gemalto.

The company has announced that Alaska is transitioning its driver’s license to a laser-engraved polycarbonate card body. This means that its various layers will be permanently fused, which can help to prevent tampering; meanwhile laser engraving allows for the embedment of unique patterns and information that isn’t visible to the human eye.

Alaska’s new driver’s license will also feature Multiple Laser Images technology, which involves the engraving of images, symbols, and numbers whose visibility changes depending on the angle at which the license is held.

In a statement announcing the driver’s license upgrade, Gemalto Government Programs VP Steve Purdy said that thanks to the new security features, “we will not only be able to create an attractive card but also greatly reduce the ability to tamper with or forge the document,” adding, “Gemalto is looking forward to working with Alaska to bring enhanced service to residents with these latest innovations as well as exploring new technologies for the future.”

The development arrives on the heels of Gemalto’s Q3 update, in which the company detailed a modest dip in revenues but predicted Q4 growth thanks in part to major e-document projects in the US and Latin America as well as deliveries of a new UK passport.