The Transport Department will launch a six-month pilot scheme from Friday to test the feasibility and effectiveness of electronic transmission of vehicle insurance data.

The scheme applies only to the backend process in relation to the renewal of vehicle licences. Six participating insurance companies will send the vehicle insurance data to the Transport Department through a special portal to ensure it is encrypted with senders' identity authenticated for transmission to the department's Vehicles & Drivers Licensing Integrated Data System.

As the data transmitted will include the vehicle insurance holder's name and identity document number, the insurance companies will inform owners and seek their consent on the release of the data. Participation in the pilot scheme is voluntary.

During the pilot period the existing procedures for application for renewal of vehicle licences will remain unchanged. Applicants still need to provide the required documents.