BILLERICA, Mass.-- Viisage , a leading provider of advanced technology identity solutions, today announced the State of Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) has awarded the Company a $1.9 million contract to implement the Viisage PROOF product in combination with its leading FaceEXPLORER face recognition technology. The solutions will be utilized to ensure the integrity of an applicant's identity before a driver's license is issued. The Connecticut DMV is taking the complete approach to proofing an individual's identity upfront, before the applicant receives their license, to reduce the possibility of identity theft and fraud. Connecticut is among the first of the states taking steps to comply with new standards set by the REAL ID Act to create a more secure credential through use of document authentication, document image capture, identity verification, and digital facial image capture.
Following recent instances of fraud found in Connecticut DMV processes, Connecticut Commissioner Ralf J. Carpenter resolved to take decisive steps toward eliminating the problem of identity fraud and identity theft in the state. After careful analysis of solution options, the Connecticut DMV chose Viisage's FaceEXPLORER and Viisage PROOF products. Viisage PROOF automatically validates an applicant's claimed identity using patented software and scanning technology that analyzes and records documents presented during the driver's license application process, examining their security features for authenticity. Viisage PROOF's analytic engine then uses the applicant's document information, demographic information and information from known data sources to evaluate the claimed identity. To further investigate potential identity fraud FaceEXPLORER(TM) uses face recognition technology to compare the applicant's live image against images within the states DMV database. This helps operators ensure that only one ID is issued per individual and assists in discovery and investigation of duplicate identities in the database. The result of this process is a vetted identity record which the state can use to create a driver's license.
"We are very eager to realize the benefits offered by the Viisage face recognition and proofing solution," said Commissioner Ralph J. Carpenter, Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles. "Protecting our citizens and the integrity of our driver's license is a top priority in the fight against identity theft and fraud. The collaboration between Viisage and the Department of Motor Vehicles on implementation of face recognition and proofing arms us with the ability to more effectively protect our citizens in this fight."
"We have learned first hand through our customers about the effects of identity theft and fraud, and our products and solutions have been designed to directly tackle these growing concerns," said Bernard Bailey, President and CEO of Viisage. "The REAL ID Act and Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 are driving both State and Federal Government agencies to address these issues in order to better protect the identities and privacy of our citizens. Connecticut's initiative places the state at the forefront of these efforts and we are delighted to be part of this groundbreaking program, which we believe can serve as a model to other states and federal government agencies."
