NSW RMS replaces facial recognition system

NSW Roads and Maritime is preparing to rollout a new facial recognition system from NEC Australia for its database of licensing photos.

The agency handed the company several contracts earlier this month - worth a combined total of just under $11 million - to implement and manage the system over the next four years.

A spokesperson told iTnews the new system would replace the agency’s existing Morpho (now Idemia) provided facial recognition system, which is used to issue driver licences, photo cards and motorcycle licences.

The new system will be hosted in the NSW government’s GovDC data centre, but build and operated by NEC.

The spokesperson wouldn’t be drawn on whether the facial recognition solution would be used to participate in the national facial biometrics matching scheme.

The NSW government provided the Justice cluster with $52 million - 15.2 million of which will be spent over the coming financial year – in last month’s state budget to implement the national scheme.

NEC's win at RMS comes just weeks after the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission terminated its contract with the company for a new national biometrics database over project delays. 

NEC disputes that it breached its obligations under the contract, suggesting that ACIC used the termination for convenience clause.