Breaking News

Gemalto’s issuance facility for Quebec’s new highly secure polycarbonate driver’s license is live

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Jan. 12, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO), the world leader in digital security, announces Quebec’s driver’s license and vehicle registration authority, SAAQ1, has declared Gemalto’s new central issuance facility for driver’s licenses operational. Gemalto’s professional services team worked closely with SAAQ over the past eight months to seamlessly integrate the central issuance solution into SAAQ’s headquarters. The first cards have been delivered to Quebec drivers as of September 9th, 2015.

In addition to providing the Coesys Issuance Solution for central issuance, the multi-year contract with SAAQ also includes a custom designed artwork and the polycarbonate-based driver licenses, known for its ability to support strong tactile security features. Gemalto’s team of security experts addressed the complexity of maintaining the existing driver’s license design while moving from the previous Teslin(R) card to a Polycarbonate one. The polycarbonate technology adds security improvements to the document without adding lengthy wait times for Quebec drivers renewing or applying for their driver’s license.

Switching to a polycarbonate driver’s license has two advantages: offering Quebec drivers a more secure form of identity in addition to increased durability of the driver’s license. This also reduces the cost of frequent reissuance and is more convenient for citizens.

“The flexibility of our driver’s license solution made it easy to incorporate the number of different card types that SAAQ supported in their existing system. The new production site consolidates all of SAAQ’s driver license issuance programs and includes the new polycarbonate driver’s license,” said Neville Pattinson, Senior Vice President of Government Programs for North America at Gemalto. “Gemalto’s employees operate the solution within SAAQ and ensure that we meet the service-level-agreement set by SAAQ.”

For more information on Gemalto’s advanced technology, visit http://www.gemalto.com/govt/sealys/ or download Gemalto’s whitepaper on Polycarbonate and Identity Documents.

1 Societe de l’assurance automobile du Quebec : The Societe de l’assurance automobile du Quebec (SAAQ) is a public entity under the authority of Quebec’s Minister of Transport. The SAAQ is governed by a Board of Directors. The SAAQ is responsible for enforcing the Automobile Insurance Act and the Highway Safety Code and, in accordance with agreements set forth in the Code, it oversees the partial enforcement of seven other laws.

About Gemalto
Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO) is the world leader in digital security, with 2014 annual revenues of [Eur]2.5 billion and blue-chip customers in over 180 countries.

Gemalto helps people trust one another in an increasingly connected digital world. Billions of people want better lifestyles, smarter living environments, and the freedom to communicate, shop, travel, bank, entertain and work – anytime, everywhere – in ways that are enjoyable and safe. In this fast moving mobile and digital environment, we enable companies and administrations to offer a wide range of trusted and convenient services by securing financial transactions, mobile services, public and private clouds, eHealthcare systems, access to eGovernment services, the Internet and internet-of-things and transport ticketing systems.

Gemalto’s unique technology portfolio – from advanced cryptographic software embedded in a variety of familiar objects, to highly robust and scalable back-office platforms for authentication, encryption and digital credential management – is delivered by our world-class service teams. Our 14,000 employees operate out of 99 offices, 34 personalization and data centers, and 24 research and software development centers located in 46 countries.

For more information visit www.gemalto.com, www.justaskgemalto.com, blog.gemalto.com, or follow @gemalto on Twitter.

Gemalto media contacts:                                                                 
Philippe Benitez                 Peggy Edoire                Vivian Liang               
North America                    Europe & CIS                (Greater China)            
+1 512 257 3869                  +33 4 42 36 45 40           +86 1059373046             
philippe.benitez@gemalto.com     peggy.edoire@gemalto.com    vivian.liang@gemalto.com 
                                                                                          
Ernesto Haikewitsch              Kristel Teyras              Pierre Lelievre            
Latin America                    Middle East & Africa        Asia Pacific               
+55 11 5105 9220                 +33 1 55 01 57 89           +65 6317 3802              
ernesto.haikewitsch@gemalto.com  kristel.teyras@gemalto.com  pierre.lelievre@gemalto.com

Check Also

AJK PM directs to constitute joint recruitment committee for medical colleges in state

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Chaudhry Anwar ul Haq has directed to constitute a joint recruitment committee for the recruitment of professors in medical colleges in the state.He was chairing a meeting of the Governing Body of Medical Colleges...