In field trials supported by the Swedish Road Administration, 15 vehicles have been equipped with Electronic Driving Licence Equipment where the drivers licence is a smart card and serves as an "ignition key" to the vehicle. The primary function of the Electronic Driving Licence System is to prevent unauthorised drivers starting and driving vehicles. The main focus of the trials has been to gain the users' reactions and experiences from driving vehicles equipped with Electronic Driving Licence and also to test connected features for alcotest and remote stop of vehicles. The Electronic Driving Licence System tested in Sweden consists of the Driving Licence (IC-card), Card Reader, Display, Start-button (replacing the ignition key), Central unit and Relays controlling ignition and other vital functions. The results from the trials and implementation studies indicate that the concept with Electronic Driving Licence System works in practice, and that it could have a great effect on traffic safety by preventing unauthorised driving. However, there are many practical implementation and safety issues to be solved before a larger introduction can be made. The user reactions from the trials are positive, and the users have quickly adapted to using the equipment.
Abstract