NXP Semiconductors N.V. announced that the Ecuadorian government has again chosen NXP’s SmartMX2 secure microcontroller for the country’s new multi-purpose contactless citizen ID card. This extends the successful cooperation initiated in 2012.
 
Ecuador’s eID card program, based on NXP’s SmartMX2 and JCOP Operating System , is one of the largest and most ambitious programs of its kind in Latin America. In addition to the identification function, the new multi-purpose eID cards will enable citizens to use them as travel documents, perform electronic signature operations and access social welfare services provided by the Ecuadorian government.
 
“Collaborating with NXP and AdvanIDe to roll out eID cards and ePassports has marked a milestone for the country to provide more security and convenience to our fellow citizens,” said William Aragón, director of the Instituto Geográfico Militar del Ecuador. “Smart governance is the future of public service.”
 
The card can be used for conventional citizenship while offering an array of new embedded social and economic applications. Personal data and biometric features, such as the cardholder’s photo and fingerprints, are stored securely on the SmartMX chip in digital form. These new cards will also help reduce congestion and process time for renewals, as well as decrease fraud and counterfeiting while increasing security and enhancing a range of government applications