The State of New York this week started offering its citizen the option of purchasing a new, RFID-enabled Enhanced Driver's License.

"The radio frequency identification chip in the EDL will be able to be scanned by authorities to identify citizens entering the state from Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean," writes CNET's Antuan Goodwin. "Intercontinental travelers will still need to produce a passport to enter the country."

"The RFID chip will not transmit personal information such as your name, birth date, and Social Security number, but it will contain an ID number that will identify you as a US citizen to Customs agents," explains PC World's Scott Nichols.

"The Enhanced Drivers License costs just $30 in addition to the usual fees," writes Wired's Priya Ganapati. "Any guesses on how secure these licenses will be from hackers?"

More here from Newsday ... more here from the MIT Technology Review ... and more here from Engadget.