The Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR) and Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport are the first two airports the adopt biometric technology within “industry leading” kiosks for international air travellers.
Today, YVR announced an upgrade to its BorderXpress kiosks, which are Automated Passport Control (APC) systems. BorderXpress are fully-hosted solutions that automate the administrative function of the border inspection process to reduce traveller wait times, passenger congestion and airport processing costs. Montreal travellers will be familiar with their presence at Trudeau airport.
The upgrade to BorderXpress involves the technology of Cross Match Technologies, a German-headquartered global company that also has an office in Quebec City.
The new biometric kiosks offer several benefits to ensure travellers can quickly get through the border clearance process, including:
- Seamlessly integrated fingerprinting technology makes the kiosks user-friendly
- Scanner technology that reads fingerprints from many angles, while being able to detect fingerprints regardless of wetness or dryness of the finger – often an issue with earlier generation technology
- Intuitive and easy-to-use for English and non-English speaking passengers alike: Simple language prompts a user through all necessary steps by indicating finger sequence, placement and pressure, while correcting typical mistakes
Biometric technology refers to the quantifiable data (or metrics) related to human characteristics and traits, and is already prevalent in the Canadian startup world. Companies like Montreal’s PasswordBox have adapted the technology for ultra-secure identification in the new Samsung S5, while just this morning we reported on Montreal’s OMsignal, which released its roster of biometric-sensing shirts for the fitness-inclined.
“Our goal is, and has always been, to lead the transformation of the travel experience,” said Vancouver Airport Authority CEO Craig Richmond. “By expanding our Automated Passport Control capabilities to include travellers from visa-waiver countries, we are continuing to help airports modernize for improved efficiency and customer satisfaction.”
The kiosk technology, BorderXpress, is a product of the Vancouver Airport Authority. In its first year, BorderXpress kiosks processed more than 4.4 million U.S. passengers. BorderXpress Automated Passport Control is currently available at 10 airport locations – more than any other provider, and with adoption on the rise.