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Queensland Transport Chooses Unisys Facial Imaging Solution for Australias First Biometric Drivers Licence

Announcement posted by Unisys 22 Apr 2009

Unisys to provide facial image capture, facial image recognition and case management solution to help protect licence holders from identity theft
 

SYDNEY– 23 April 2009 Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) today announced that Queensland Transport has selected Unisys Australia to provide facial image processing technology and services for the Queensland’s new digital driver licence.  The digital licence is designed to significantly improve security for over three million of the state’s licence holders, streamline administration of the licensing system and reduce identity fraud.

 

Under the five-year contract, Unisys will provide facial recognition software, facial image capture devices, case management software and associated services.  

 

The smartcard licences will be introduced in a rolling program as existing laminated licences expire and are renewed.  As Queensland driver licences are valid for up to five years, it will take approximately five years for digital licences to be rolled out to all licence holders.

 

“We have used the laminated licence design in Queensland for over 20 years.  The new digital licence will deliver a more secure form of driver licence documentation for Queenslanders as it is harder to forge or alter.  As a result it will help reduce the risk of identity theft to Queensland licence holders and give them greater confidence that their personal licence information is being kept secure.  It will also enable Queensland Transport to deliver services in a more convenient manner as licence holders will be able to use a card reader or the Queensland Transport website to view, update and transact on their licence and registration themselves,” said Land, Transport and Safety Executive Director, Judy Oswin.

Queensland is the Smart State and the move to digital products will set a new national benchmark in biometric and smartcard based driver licences across the country,” Ms Oswin said.

 

Ninety-eight percent of Australians said they are willing to use one or more secure identity verifiers, including biometrics to protect themselves, their information and finances, according to the Unisys Security Index™ conducted by Newspoll in September 2008.

 

The Unisys Solution

Unisys will act as prime contractor and primary implementation partner for three components of Queensland’s digital products:  facial image capture, facial image recognition, and case management.  Unisys will not supply the digital card itself.

 

The Unisys solution includes approximately 370 purpose-built image capture devices which incorporate a camera and lights built into one unit, used to capture digital biometric facial images that are subsequently embedded into a computer chip in the smartcard.  The front counter devices will be used at most Queensland Transport customer service centres, some Queensland Government Agent Program (QGAP) offices and police stations in rural and remote areas.  Unisys will train Queensland Transport staff in facial image capture operation to ensure high quality, secure and consistent image capture in line with ISO standards.

 

Unisys also will provide the Cognitec facial image recognition software used to match the biometric facial image against existing images in the driver licence database, a critical component to identify if individuals hold multiple cards in different names, or attempt to obtain cards using forged or stolen identity documents.   Unisys technology partner Daon is providing biometric enrolment technology and biometric middleware software.

 

Where a discrepancy needs further investigation, the Unisys identification and credentialing framework LEIDA (Library of eID Artefacts software) will provide the backbone case management system to connect all the elements of the Queensland Transport solution together.  For instance, where an applicant’s photo matches a photo under a different name in the system it will trigger an alert, provide an immediate side-by-side comparison, and track ongoing case management if further investigation is required. 

 

“In today’s fast and knowledge-based environment, the community wants the protection offered through effective security processes to minimise the risk of identity theft and related threats.  The public also demands a better experience when undergoing these processes -- faster, easier and less cumbersome -- with their privacy protected.  Unisys will draw on its vast experience with security and identity credentialing projects in Australia and globally to help Queensland Transport and Main Roads’ digital products deliver this for Queenslanders,” said Allen Koehn, Managing Partner, Public Sector, Unisys Asia Pacific.

 

“We are delighted to assist the Queensland Government to introduce Australia’s first biometric supported driver licence, which will put Queenslanders at the forefront of secure smartcard-based licence registration,” Koehn said.

 

Unisys has a strong reputation for delivering high-end IT services – from security, identity and credentialing solutions through to outsourcing, hardware integration and application modernisation – to a number of federal and state government departments and agencies in Australia and internationally.  These include the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) where Unisys provides end user services and multisourcing management, as well as biometric solutions as part of the DIAC Enhanced Border Control Program, and a twelve-year relationship with the Australian National Audit Office.  Unisys has also provided various IT services to the Australian Department of Defence for more than 35 years, including as current provider of Regional ICT services to 460 defence locations across the country.  Unisys combines its extensive global experience providing services-led, technology-based solutions to the public sector with specific expertise in Asia Pacific in developing and implementing solutions to support national security and law enforcement initiatives.

 

Unisys has implemented similar biometric and identity management solutions for government agencies around the world. Examples include the Malaysia MyKad identity card - the world’s first and most comprehensive multi-application smartcard in use today; the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and Licence Plate Reader technologies along the United States’ northern and southern borders for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative; the Home Affairs National Identification System project for the Department of Homeland Affairs in South Africa; a six-month biometrics field trial for Citizen and Immigration Canada; and a citizen identity card and criminal registry system for the Angolan Ministry of Justice.

 

 

About Unisys Asia Pacific

Unisys helps clients with solutions for their business operations by aligning technology with business strategy. Drawing on a history of industry innovation and expertise, Unisys provides specialised services, delivered by trusted consultants.  In Asia Pacific, Unisys delivers services and solutions through subsidiaries in New Zealand, Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Korea, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand and through distributors or resellers in other countries in the region.  For more information, visit www.unisys.com.  

 

 

About Unisys

Unisys is a worldwide information technology company. We provide a portfolio of IT services, software, and technology that solves critical problems for clients.  We specialise in helping clients secure their operations, increase the efficiency and utilisation of their data centres, enhance support to their end users and constituents, and modernise their enterprise applications.  To provide these services and solutions, we bring together offerings and capabilities in outsourcing services, systems integration and consulting services, infrastructure services, maintenance services, and high-end server technology.  With more than 28,000 employees, Unisys serves commercial organisations and government agencies throughout the world.  For more information, visit www.unisys.com .

 

 

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Media Contacts

Claire Hosegood, Unisys, +61 411 253 663

claire.hosegood@au.unisys.com

 

Victoria Rooney, IMPACT Communications, +61 2 9519 5411

victoria@impactcommunications.com.au