Theft in the subway
Recently, a friend was traveling to Athens. On his way to the city center, he was full of anticipation for all the things he wanted to see and do in the next few days. When he wanted to show his ID at the hotel, he had a rude awakening. His entire wallet was gone, along with various bank cards and proof of identity. Apparently, there was also a pickpocket on the subway from the airport.
It was a bad break, but certainly not an isolated incident in the world's major cities. Overcrowded subway trains and buses offer pickpockets ideal conditions to strike unnoticed, thefts are a well-known problem on public transport.
Digital identity
What would have happened if he had had digital proof of his identity? Mind you, we're not talking about a picture of the ID card on his smartphone. Rather, we are talking about secure proof of identity in digital form. Are there already ways of storing identity documents and important personal data in one place in such a way that they become a digital wallet, a digital purse that is as well protected as possible against theft? And not just in the crowds on public transport. It's a tempting thought to have one hand free for the bus or train handle and the other hand to stop the trolley from leaving without needing a third hand to frantically protect your handbag or rucksack from unauthorized access.
The EUid Wallet: a European solution for the personal digital wallet
Since 2021, a team of experts from the EU member states has been working on implementing the requirements, which should ultimately lead to a well thought-out technical environment. For this complex project, various requirements, guidelines and standards must first be taken into account before solutions can be developed that will prove themselves in everyday practice and are user-friendly despite all the security precautions. It is pleasing to see that the EU wallet is dispensing with small states and opting for a European solution instead. The EUid Wallet, when it finally exists, would mean that IDs and cards would no longer have to be carried physically and would also be recognized internationally. Everything that the friend had in his wallet that has now disappeared and now has to be painstakingly retrieved (the cash remains missing, of course) would then be conveniently stored in his digital wallet. And thieves can't steal that? That is precisely one of the most important goals.The European Commission reports on what else the digital wallet should achieve.
Digitalization and public transport
At the moment, my friend says: never again on the subway in a metropolis. The digital wallet has what it takes to change his mind. We at Balcik Teck are eagerly waiting for everyone to take this digitalization step. One of the focal points of our Pro:Hive data product is local public transport, and transparent planning and development. If a digitization project also affects public transport in the broadest sense, we are happy to follow the development and take it into account in our digitization projects that benefit the general public.
