Citi trials witdrawals from ATMs with no screen or card reader

Citi is testing a new Diebold cash machine with no screen, card reader or PIN pad, replacing them with the customer’s mobile phone. Being trialled at Citi’s New York innovation lab, the Diebold Irving system promises to quicken the cash withdrawal process to less than 10 seconds.

Customers schedule a withdrawal through their bank mobile app and then when they approach the machine they are identified via NFC, QR code or via iris scanning biometrics and their money is dispensed, according to the press release.

Diebold argues that not only is the system faster than traditional ATMs but also more secure because there is no card reader for skimmers to tamper with. Irving is also considerably smaller than normal cash machines, suited to the growing trend among banks to shrink their branches. Compared to a standard through-the-wall ATM, this terminal’s depth is reduced by as much as 32%, and on the consumer-facing side, it is up to 37% narrower, when compared to other standard ATMs in the market.

Meanwhile, Diebold is also showing off another new concept, called Janus, for in-branch customer service. Janus is a dual-sided terminal that services two customers at once but shares alarm boards, connectivity and monitoring technology.

Like Irving it ditches card readers in favour of mobile phone-based access but does have a tablet touch screen for cheque imaging, ID scanning for new accounts and document signing, and video teller access. Enabled through NFC or QR code technology, Janus eliminates traditional card readers and subsequent card fraud. Receipt printers are also eliminated in favor of email or text receipts.

„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, EVP, self-service technology, Diebold.