NXP® Semiconductors has announced that it is helping to digitize the ORCA card , the Puget
Sound's regional transit card used across four counties in the Seattle metropolitan area. NXP is working in close collaboration
with INIT Innovations in Transportation, Inc
— the leading supplier of integrated planning, dispatching, telematics and ticketing systems for buses and trains.
The ORCA card is a stored-value smart card for public transit in the Puget Sound region that serves a population of over 4
million in the Seattle metropolitan area. The ORCA card is based on NXP's
MIFARE® DESFire® ICs and powered by its
MIFARE 2GO digitization service, offering
commuters the option to utilize Google Wallet on their
NFC-enabled Android™ phones for seamless boarding of various modes of transportation.
Digitizing MIFARE products based smart cards to create seamless digital smart city services. Learn more about
the benefits of the
MIFARE 2GO cloud service.
The ORCA card supports an extensive regional transit system in the Puget Sound area, connecting Seattle with the surrounding
suburbs and communities. With the new digital ORCA card in Google Wallet, enabled by NXP's MIFARE 2GO service, commuters can get
around within this large transit system by using their NFC-enabled smartphones for stress-free contactless transit payment and
access to stations and buses.
"We're excited for this feature to offer a more convenient payment option for our transit customers. Thanks to NXP's MIFARE 2GO
solution, ORCA users will have an easy mobile fare payment option on their Android smartphone. If you have an NFC-enabled
Android phone, you have everything you need to simply tap and go."
Brittany Esdaile, ORCA Director, Sound Transit
By incorporating and using the ORCA card with Google Wallet, commuters will have the option for a touchless method of payment
via their digital MIFARE product-based transit card on their phone. Commuters simply tap and ride using their phone when paying
for transit. Additionally, for added convenience, riders can also conveniently purchase and add value to their digital cards
without having to wait in line at a fare vending machine.
"We're excited to be on the cutting edge of innovation with the ORCA card now in Google Wallet. This new feature demonstrates our commitment to providing
intuitive, efficient payment options that meet the evolving needs of modern transit riders."
Roland Staib, CEO of INIT
Why It Matters
The successful enablement with the ORCA Card in the Puget Sound Region is the first project that leverages MIFARE 2GO's
conversion feature for greater user experience. This feature allows the digitization of the existing passenger card without the
need of purchasing a new digital card. The digitization process is easy. Commuters can either manually enter their personal
information into the app or simply tap their phones to the card and save the digital version in the wallet (to be available
later in the year).
NXP Secure Mobile Transit Solutions Around the World
This project is yet another significant milestone in NXP's mobile transit enablement journey that spans around bringing seamless
and connected experiences to commuters as well as enabling scalable installations.
For more information, please visit our
MIFARE 2GO product page.
Google, Android and Google Wallet are trademarks of Google LLC.
