Bank tests cardless, screenless ATMs

Updated
One of the new ATMs.
One of the new ATMs.



ATMs that recognise you as you walk up to them and deliver cash almost immediately could be on the way to a high street near you.

ATM manufacturer Diebold has teamed up with Citigroup to test cash machines that scan eyeballs or smartphones to identify customers and authorise transactions.

There's no need to have your bank card with you, and no need for a keypad or display.

Diebold's new 'Irving' machine allows customers to request cash through their smartphone ahead of time. When they walk up to the ATM, it identifies them either by scanning their eyes and comparing the pattern to their records, or through near a field communication (NFC) connection to their phone. The customer can then scan a QR code that appears on the ATM to access information.

Cash withdrawals can be carried out in less than ten seconds, says Diebold.

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The second system being tested, 'Janus', is smaller than standard, allowing two customers to be served at the same time. It, too, lacks a traditional card reader, and doesn't have a receipt printer either – instead, receipts are sent via email or text.

For more complicated transactions, there's a video link so that customers can talk to counter staff.

"While digital channels continue to evolve, cash will continue to have a role in consumer transactions. That's where Diebold comes into play — to bridge the digital and physical worlds of cash in unprecedented ways," says Frank Natoli, Diebold executive vice president for self-service technology.

"Our latest concepts embody a new era of banking and put the user experience at the top of the pyramid to connect consumers with their money when and how they see fit."

Such systems could also tie in to services such as Apple Pay, for example, allowing customers to use apps they're already familiar with.

However, there's no guarantee that the new ATMs will ever make it out into the wild - so far, they've only been tested on a small number of people in the lab. There are security issues, with the danger that hackers could intercept the link between the smartphone and bank.

But eliminating the need for a card would have security advantages too, and most banks are keen, believing that cardless cash machines would reduce fraud. JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America are also believed to be working on similar technology.

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