Moscow Residents Will Be Able to Pay for Public Transport with Face ID in 2021

Starting next year, Moscow residents will be able to pay for public transportation using Face ID, the facial recognition technology. This information was revealed in an interview with Maxim Liksutov, the Deputy Mayor of the capital.

Currently, the system is being tested on city hall employees, with the participation of two major Russian banks. Since Face ID is an Apple development, the city is also awaiting approval from the Cupertino-based corporation, which would allow the addition of the “Troika” card.

“At the moment, this is Apple’s policy, which takes into account the interests of banks that are still very conservative,” Liksutov explained.

If Moscow authorities and Apple reach an agreement, city residents will be able to pay for transportation with their smartphones, provided the device supports facial authentication.

Liksutov noted that Apple has set a number of requirements, which the city is working to meet. Ultimately, the authorities hope that the “Troika” card can be added to the iPhone, allowing users to pay for rides directly with their mobile devices.

The Deputy Mayor could not specify an exact timeline, stating that everything depends on Apple. However, the city is doing everything within its power to make this happen.