Mastercard’s Touch Card: A New Solution for People with Vision Loss

As a leader in the financial technology industry, Mastercard is always looking for ways to make its products more accessible to everyone. In 2022, the company planned to introduce a new card for people who are blind or have vision loss. The card will use physical notches to help users distinguish among them and discern the correct way to insert them into scanning machines. This innovative solution is part of Mastercard’s efforts to expand the accessibility of its products without overcomplicating them.

The Design of Mastercard’s Touch Card

Mastercard’s new card will be available in different varieties, including a debit card, credit card, and prepaid card. Each type of card will feature a different notch design, making them easy to identify through touch. The debit card will have a square-like notch, the credit card will have a rounded notch, and the prepaid card will have a triangular one.

Barclays PLC already provides a notched debit card with a bright stripe and arrow to indicate which way to insert the card. However, Mastercard’s Touch Card takes the concept of a notched card to a new level by using different shapes to make it easy for people with vision loss to identify their cards.

Mastercard’s Research and Collaboration

To create the Touch Card, Mastercard worked with the Royal National Institute of Blind People in the U.K. and the nonprofit Visions/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired in the U.S. These organizations helped Mastercard identify pain points in existing cards, such as the difficulty of distinguishing between them and the challenges of inserting them into scanning machines.

Mastercard forwent using Braille on its new cards because its research found that many people who are blind don’t use it. Instead, the company focused on creating a tactile solution that would be easy for everyone to use.

Benefits of the Touch Card

Mastercard’s Touch Card provides many benefits for people with blindness and vision challenges. The design makes it easy to identify each card through touch, eliminating the need to ask strangers for help. Additionally, the design can boost security by making it easier for people to select the correct card when making transactions.

The notched design may also benefit people without vision problems. The design aligns well with existing methods used by people with vision challenges to differentiate between cards, such as cutting off a piece of one or adding a sticker. The design may also be helpful for people with strollers, suitcases, and delivery carts.

Accessibility Efforts Across Sectors

Mastercard is not the only company working to create more accessible products. Across sectors, companies are introducing features to make their products more inclusive. For example, the Bank of England plans to make its £50 note textured, so it is distinguishable by feel. McDonald’s is upgrading its self-service kiosks to make them more accessible. Companies like IBM and Wix.com offer tools to help developers scan their websites for accessibility problems.

Conclusion

Mastercard’s Touch Card is an innovative solution to a longstanding problem in the financial technology industry. By using different notches to distinguish between cards, Mastercard has created a product that is accessible to everyone, including people with blindness or low vision. The design may also benefit people without vision problems, similar to the way that ramps to the sidewalk from the street have benefited not only people in wheelchairs but people with strollers, suitcases, and delivery carts.