Such cards could hold, say, the profile of an airline passenger, including his frequent-flyer points and seat preferences. With a single swipe of a card through an airline's electronic reader, a traveler could make a reservation and get a seat assignment. The card can also carry specific dollar values. No more fumbling for loose change. Telephone companies are issuing cards good for so many minutes of calling time.
Radio receivers pick up signals from dashboard-mounted cards as vehicles zip through toll lanes.
The fees are deducted directly from the drivers' bank accounts. Not everyone striving to be cashless has achieved this sense of breezy convenience. But the vision seems only a few mishaps and controversies away. Time Inc. All rights reserved.