Demand for Smart Cards for Public Transport Can be Met
Initiated by environmental policy, there is additional demand in 2023 and 2024 in local public transport for the realization of the Deutschlandticket. The Deutschlandticket is the Germany-wide e-ticket which grants use of all local and regional trains in Germany for 49 € a month.
16 Nov 2023 - Thales DIS BPS Germany Expands Smart Label Card Production
Thales Conceptualizes Cards for the Deutschlandticket
Thales DIS BPS Germany has developed a forward-looking concept for tickets in accordance with the German VDV KA standard. The “Verband Deutscher Verkehrsunternehmen” (VDV = Association of German Transport Companies) is the organizing body of about 600 companies performing public passenger transport and rail freight transport in Germany. The VDV KA is the technical-organizational standard for the Deutschlandticket. Thales’ concept uses modern semiconductors from a German company with a high level of security evaluation (EAL 6+) based on a certified JAVA™ operating system of the latest generation (v3.0.5). This ensures faster transaction times with further increased security.
Higher Security with JAVA Operating Systems
Compared to generic operating systems, JAVA™ operating systems are generally evaluated according to existing security standards such as EAL 4+ or higher. The JAVA™ applet required for the application is programmed in Germany on the basis of the latest VDV KA specification v1.11.0 and certified accordingly. Compared to generic operating systems, this sustainable concept guarantees on the one hand a significantly shorter development and evaluation time for new specification versions of the VDV-KA. On the other hand, it is possible to load additional customer-specific applications as JAVA applets onto the card in a simple manner within the framework of the guaranteed multifunctionality.
Extended Customer Service Possible via the Card
One example is the Legic Card in Card applet for additional physical access in corporate environments, which can be loaded onto a JAVA™ card by Thales BIS BPS based on the existing license and certifications. And even more is possible: a latent semiconductor emulation of the ISO 14443 A standard exists in the Thales product-specific semiconductor. It can optionally be activated for further applications of the customer and thus be used supplementary outside the VDV KA application.
The semiconductor supply for the project is secured in unlimited quantities by contracts with a German manufacturer.
