Project Overview

The Challenge

California DMV needed to replace aging native iOS and Android mobile applications with a modern, cross-platform solution that would enhance functionality, provide operational efficiency, and integrate cutting-edge biometric authentication for modern and secure authentication experience.

The Solution

A fully architected Flutter application serving millions of California residents, featuring native biometric login via iProov SDK, vehicle registration renewal, and seamless integration with DMV's web services and security infrastructure.

The Impact

Successfully replaced legacy native applications with a unified codebase, established scalable future-proof architecture, and delivered multiple releases integrating government security infrastructure.

Application Screenshots

CA DMV App - Home Screen
CA DMV App - Biometric Login
CA DMV App - Vehicle Registration
CA DMV App - Services Menu
CA DMV App - Document Scanning
CA DMV App - Account Settings

Technical Architecture

The application was architected using a robust layered architecture (M-V-VM pattern) with strict separation of concerns, ensuring testability, maintainability, and scalability.

1

Driver App Layer

ca_dmv_app

Platform binaries and dependency injection container

2

View Layer

view

UI components, pages, widgets, and graphical assets

3

ViewModel Layer

view_model

BLoC/Cubit-based state management exposing model to views

4

Model Layer

model

Business logic, API integrations, and third-party framework interactions

5

Abstracts Layer

abstracts

Interface definitions connecting all layers through dependency injection

Architecture Benefits

Hard boundary constraints eliminating tight coupling
SOLID principles throughout the codebase
100% unit test coverage for business logic
Layers can be rewritten independently
Scalability through reduced complexity per layer
Modular architecture supporting future expansion

Key Features

iProov Biometric Authentication

Integrated iProov's biometric SDK for secure facial authentication with first-time enrollment and re-authentication flows.

  • AI-based face verification
  • Identity database mapping
  • Liveness check
  • Cryptographic device binding
  • CA DMV Security gateway integration

Native Authentication System

Comprehensive authentication with OTP verification, secure session management, and remote configuration for feature toggles.

  • Username/password with OTP (SMS/call)
  • OTP autofill on iOS devices
  • Locked account detection
  • Remote feature toggles
  • Automatic session timeout

Responsive UI/UX Design

Material Design 2.0 implementation following California DMV brand guidelines with adaptive layouts for all devices.

  • Phones, tablets and desktop supported
  • Portrait and landscape orientations
  • Custom typography (TT Commons, Playfair)
  • Vector graphics for all densities
  • 17 embedded language translations

Web Content Integration

Seamless integration of DMV web services with native app experience including REAL ID, CA DMV Wallet, and more.

  • Vehicle Registration Renewal portal
  • REAL ID application flow
  • My DMV personal account
  • Field office locations with GPS
  • Sample knowledge tests and videos

Technology Stack

Core Framework

Flutter 3.x Dart

State Management

flutter_bloc BLoC Pattern Cubit

Dependency Injection

GetIt

Biometric SDK

iProov Flutter SDK

Analytics & Monitoring

Firebase Analytics Firebase Crashlytics Cloud Messaging

CI/CD

Bitrise Apple TestFlight Google Play Console

Project Management

Melos Jira GitHub

Testing

flutter_test bloc_test mockito Testlio

Platforms

iOS 13+ Android 6.0+ (API 23+)

API Integrations

WordPress REST API

DMV content management endpoints

iProov Biometrics API

Facial verification, liveness detection, identity assurance

Google Firebase

Analytics, Crashlytics, Remote Config, Push Notifications

IBM ISVA

Security gateway for biometric and password-based authentication

Identity Registry

Driver License and REAL ID Identity database

Field Offices API

Location data with GPS proximity filtering

CI/CD & DevOps

Established complete Software Development Lifecycle with automated build, test, and deployment pipelines.

Planning

Jira integration for user stories and sprint management

Design

Figma for UI, Miro for architecture diagrams

Development

GitHub with branch protection and code review

Build

Bitrise CI/CD automated builds with tests

Distribution

TestFlight and Google Play Console

Monitoring

Firebase Analytics and Crashlytics

Key Achievements

Legacy Replacement

Successfully replaced legacy native iOS and Android applications with unified Flutter codebase

Scale

Application serving millions of California residents across the state

Test Coverage

Achieved 100% unit test coverage for all business logic components

Security Integration

Overcame integration challenges with government security infrastructure

Future-Proof Architecture

Established scalable, modular architecture supporting future expansion

On-Time Delivery

Delivered multiple releases within project timeline

About the Role

As a Software Architect for this project, I was responsible for the end-to-end technical strategy and design of the California DMV mobile application replacement. This encompassed:

  • Designing the layered M-V-VM architecture with strict separation of concerns
  • Establishing the monorepo package structure for maximum code reuse and maintainability
  • Defining integration patterns with iProov's biometric SDK and the state's security infrastructure
  • Coordinating with external testing services and managing the release process
  • Overcoming technical obstacles related to government security gateway integration

As a Software Engineer, I was hands-on with the full implementation of the application, delivering production-ready code across all layers:

  • Implementing the complete Flutter codebase across all 5 monorepo packages
  • Building responsive UI components following Material Design 2.0 and DMV brand guidelines
  • Integrating native platform features including biometrics, deep linking, and push notifications
  • Writing unit tests, widget tests, and manual UI-driven test cases for quality assurance
  • Producing and embedding 17 language translations using AI-based translation

Client

iProov Ltd

London, United Kingdom

End Customer

California Department of Motor Vehicles

Sacramento, California, USA