RFID-style ID cards 'won't wear out'

RFID-style ID cards will last for 10 years without wearing out but will cost up to a third more than a standard smartcard, according to the Identity and Passport Service (IPS).

The claim is based on the findings of a market sounding survey of specialist smartcard suppliers, conducted by the IPS, into the durability and cost of different types of card that could be used for the UK's national ID card scheme.

The survey concluded that contactless RFID-style smartcards with a 10-year life are feasible and durable but that the level of industry experience in this field is more limited as the technologies involved have only been developed relatively recently.

Contactless cards were found to be the most durable type of smartcard because there is less wear and tear but there are durability issues with the connection of the antenna to the chip, which can break under physical stress when the card is flexed.

Contactless cards would cost 15 to 30 per cent more than a standard contact-based smartcard but would be cheaper than other alternatives such as a dual interface card, which works on both contact and contactless readers, and a hybrid card, which has two chips, the survey found.

Other issues cited by the 12 smartcard vendors that responded to the survey included the fact there is little practical experience of contactless cards because the technology is less than 10 years old and there is a current production capacity shortfall for large smartcard schemes.

The procurement process for the ID cards project is expected to begin soon and the IPS revealed last week that spending has reached £56m before any tenders have gone out.