New York Issues RFID-Encoded Drivers Licenses

Anyone who lives in fear of an Orwellian future had better put on their tinfoil hats and stock up on bunker supplies, because with the new drivers licenses introduced in New York we are one step closer to that reality. What makes these licenses so special is the inclusion of radio frequency identification chips. RFID chips are already found in credit cards and passports, but New York is the first state in the U.S. to put these chips into its drivers licenses.

RFID Benefits

There are some benefits to having an RFID chip in your drivers license--primarily, RFID-encoded licenses can replace your passport. The RFID chip will not transmit personal information such as your name, birth date, and Social Security number, but it will contain an ID number that will identify you as a US citizen to Customs agents. At the moment, however, using an RFID license as a passport will work when only when entering the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean, and only when traveling by land or sea, but there is a level of convenience if you visit those places often.

Drawbacks

Unfortunately, the cons far outweigh the pros for using RFID-encoded drivers licenses. A quick search on Amazon.com showed me that an RFID reader can be easily purchased for as cheap as $43. The New York DMV's RFID FAQ states that no personal information will be recorded on the RFID chip, but as long as the chip would contain some number that is connected to my name I know I wouldn't feel safe carrying it around in my wallet. Of course, I could always make myself a nifty RFID-blocking duct-tape wallet, but the overall investment in the new license just doesn't seem worth the risk to me.

Thankfully, it is not mandatory to get a new RFID license. It's just an option for New Yorkers who want to put themselves at risk unnecessarily, or those who frequently drive to Canada.

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