Spain’s General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has partnered with the National Business Federation for Vehicle Rental With or Without Driver (Feneval) to introduce a new digital ID card for rental cars, called DNI-Car.
The new QR code card, which can be linked digitally to a mobile app, is set to replace the traditional paper documents in many rental cars in Spain. This new system is expected to reduce vehicle theft by 6,000 to 12,000 rental cars per year.
The new DNI-Car digital ID card is designed to enable car renters to present all the details of their rental car, driver’s license, rental company and more from their mobile phones in case they are stopped by the police. The renters will also be able to use the digital ID card to check the roadworthiness certificate of the vehicle, information on its environmental badge, and the insurance policy.
Rental companies will be able to use this new service to securely digitize the documentation of their entire rental fleet. The new documents will have the same validity and legal effects as the traditional paper documents and will also be recognized in neighboring countries such as France and Portugal.
Each vehicle and driver will have a QR code that is valid exclusively for the rental contract period. Rental companies will be responsible for printing and attaching the QR code to the rental contracts, while renters will be required to keep the QR code in the vehicle at all times for the duration of their contract. In case of a police stop, renting drivers can present the QR code, which contains all the information about the driver, vehicle, and any associated theft reports.
When the QR code is scanned, the authorities will have access to a webpage containing all the links to the required documentation for rental cars such as driving licenses, legal reports, and insurance documents. It is important to note that the DNI-Car is voluntary and does not act as a digital replacement for driving licenses, so all drivers must always carry any required physical driving licenses with them.
The DNI-Car digital ID card will also be incorporated into the miDGT mobile app, allowing Spanish residents with their own vehicles to access and keep records of their car details, including their driving licences, in digital format on their mobile phones.
The event is a significant strategy used by the Spanish government and its partners to streamline the renting process of vehicles, reduce car theft, and encourage the ease of doing business. It has been positively received by the rental car companies and renters in the country.
