Sunday, June 05, 2005
Techtalker - Toll roads and GPS
Toll roads and mobiles
Off the many unique applications that technology, particularly mobile technology, is now offering is that of collecting toll tax on highways. It may sound a trifle far fetched, but the process is already operational in some parts of the world, particularly in German autobahns as well as Highway 407 in Canada.
Germany has introduced a new telematics-based road tolling scheme which does away with toll barriers, particularly turnpikes. The pike or the long stick has been symbolic of toll roads, and is held across the road, only to be raised when the traveler paid the toll.
Instead it uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) to track each truck that passes on its highways. The truck owner needs to install an On Board Unit, that is connected with the GPS system. It applies only to trucks of 12 tonnes gross and above, and so far is limited to autobahns. A system called ``Toll Collect'', which is owned jointly by Deutsche Telekom (45 per cent), DaimlerChrysler (45 per cent) and Cofiroute, a company involved in toll administration in France (10 per cent) runs the project.
Another system is on in Canada, at Highway 407, which is considered as one of the most technologically advanced toll highways in the world. With no toll booths, all vehicles are photographed when they enter and exit the highway. A monthly bill lands at your doorstep for usage of Highway 407.
Propounders of these systems argue that travelers dislike toll roads not only for the cost of the toll, but also for the delays that it causes. No doubt since millions of dollars worth of gadgetry is to be sold, conflicting views have emerged. The German example has had its share of criticism in the media with industry experts suggesting other low cost alternatives as well.
There have been cases of misreading of number plates in Ontario and tech experts in Germany pointed that users could find ways to jam the GPS devices as well so that their movement cannot be read by satellites.
In UK, all new electronic toll systems for buses and coaches are beginning to use satellite positioning, GSM-GPRS or 5.8 GHz microwave technology. But a new European service is being established, and from January 2008 all new tolling systems would have to use only satellite positioning and GSM-GPRS technologies, doing away with microwave technology, creating a conflict between proponents of different
technologies. This system shall be in place almost throughout Europe by 2012.
But if think nothing is hapenning in India, already many companies are using a similar technology to track their vehicles. ICICI Bank uses Automated Vehicle Locator (AVL) systems on its vans to track the movement of the vehicles. This helps them know if a van is faces a robbery attempt. An SMS alert informs the administrator is one of the doors is left open. Another oil company receives a regular SMS on the quantity of oil being transported in its container, to stall the
possibility of pilferage en route. Reliance has launched a mobile vehicle tracking system which can be used by transporters to determine the exact location of their vehicles.
But so far there are no attempts at collecting tolls via GPS systems. For that first the entire database of vehicles would have to be computerised -- a fairly long haul.
The author can be contacted at techtalker at gmail dot com.
Off the many unique applications that technology, particularly mobile technology, is now offering is that of collecting toll tax on highways. It may sound a trifle far fetched, but the process is already operational in some parts of the world, particularly in German autobahns as well as Highway 407 in Canada.
Germany has introduced a new telematics-based road tolling scheme which does away with toll barriers, particularly turnpikes. The pike or the long stick has been symbolic of toll roads, and is held across the road, only to be raised when the traveler paid the toll.
Instead it uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) to track each truck that passes on its highways. The truck owner needs to install an On Board Unit, that is connected with the GPS system. It applies only to trucks of 12 tonnes gross and above, and so far is limited to autobahns. A system called ``Toll Collect'', which is owned jointly by Deutsche Telekom (45 per cent), DaimlerChrysler (45 per cent) and Cofiroute, a company involved in toll administration in France (10 per cent) runs the project.
Another system is on in Canada, at Highway 407, which is considered as one of the most technologically advanced toll highways in the world. With no toll booths, all vehicles are photographed when they enter and exit the highway. A monthly bill lands at your doorstep for usage of Highway 407.
Propounders of these systems argue that travelers dislike toll roads not only for the cost of the toll, but also for the delays that it causes. No doubt since millions of dollars worth of gadgetry is to be sold, conflicting views have emerged. The German example has had its share of criticism in the media with industry experts suggesting other low cost alternatives as well.
There have been cases of misreading of number plates in Ontario and tech experts in Germany pointed that users could find ways to jam the GPS devices as well so that their movement cannot be read by satellites.
In UK, all new electronic toll systems for buses and coaches are beginning to use satellite positioning, GSM-GPRS or 5.8 GHz microwave technology. But a new European service is being established, and from January 2008 all new tolling systems would have to use only satellite positioning and GSM-GPRS technologies, doing away with microwave technology, creating a conflict between proponents of different
technologies. This system shall be in place almost throughout Europe by 2012.
But if think nothing is hapenning in India, already many companies are using a similar technology to track their vehicles. ICICI Bank uses Automated Vehicle Locator (AVL) systems on its vans to track the movement of the vehicles. This helps them know if a van is faces a robbery attempt. An SMS alert informs the administrator is one of the doors is left open. Another oil company receives a regular SMS on the quantity of oil being transported in its container, to stall the
possibility of pilferage en route. Reliance has launched a mobile vehicle tracking system which can be used by transporters to determine the exact location of their vehicles.
But so far there are no attempts at collecting tolls via GPS systems. For that first the entire database of vehicles would have to be computerised -- a fairly long haul.
The author can be contacted at techtalker at gmail dot com.
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