New York State Issues RFID Driver's Licenses

September 13, 2008

Starting Tuesday, New Yorkers will be able to buy new driver's licenses containing a radio chip that will let them travel between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico without a passport.

While they cited no specific dangers, the state Civil Liberties Union has said it has questions about how well the identities of license holders are protected, and they wonder what might happen if individuals with radio tracking devices were to start searching for the chip signals.

"We're concerned that it's a technology that could potentially expose users to tracking or monitoring," said Udi Ofer, a lawyer with the NYCLU.