Pakistan now joins the list of growing countries where RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) based electronic toll collection is in use. For now it has been introduced on Peshawar – Islamabad M1 and Islamabad – Lahore M2 Motorways. This technology allows the vehicles to pass through toll booths without stopping and toll amount is automatically deducted from the money account on record.
Here is how the system works. An RFID tag (transponder) is now available free-of-cost to motorists using Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar toll plazas. This tag is attached to a car’s wind shield.
News appearing to this effect in Dawn of November 7, 2007 says:
“Those who want to secure the RFID tag will be required to submit full particulars about their person, details of bank account and some other information. The NHA (National Highway Authority) staff posted at the plazas for selling of the tag will register all such details in their system.â€
On toll plazas, RFID Readers with antennas have been installed. When a vehicle approaches a toll plaza, the RFID Reader Antenna communicates wirelessly with the RFID tag located in the vehicle wind shield. At highway speeds (in excess of 100 kmph), the system identifies the car and charges the correct amount of toll to the bank account on record. The system which is installed in Pakistan, a vehicle will still have to stop at a booth but no human transaction between the vehicle occupants and toll booth operator is needed. I believe it is definitely a step in positive direction. It will reduce waiting lines at toll booths and save fuel.
Following is another excerpt from the original news that appears in Dawn of November 7, 2007.
“A very interesting feature of the new system is that the required amount would be electronically deducted from the bank account of the motorist. The e-toll will also have a fast tracking system installed which will detect wrong information givers. As such, in case there is no amount in the account of the person concerned the NHA electronic system will recognize it and signal stop by flashing the red light and the bar would not be lifted.â€
It appears in the news that after initial deployment at Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar toll plazas, the system will be extended to all toll plazas located on the motorways M1, M2 and M3.
The electronic toll system in Pakistan has been introduced by NHA (National Highway Authority) in collaboration with NADRA (National Database and Registration Authority).
Update: July 7, 2008:
This news update appears on July 7, 2008 in Jang. It shows 10210 vehicles have so far registered for the RFID tagged E-toll system on Pakistan Motorway Network.
References:
1. HyPass of Pakistan
2. National Highway Authority
3. National Database and Registration Authority
4. Title photo is from Wikipedia.com
Slightly off topic but since we are talking about use of technology to make things better and easier, I would like to say further about use of bluetooth for the benefit of common man. Unlike others, I believe mobile technology is the future rather RFID, specially for layman because bluetooth is available in ordinary mobiles. For instance, use of bluetooth technology for shopping purpose like a Bluetooth-web application for a market like “Tariq Road”. Users can set preferences in their mobile can interact with PCs in different shops which can transmit signals via bluetooth device which has range around 10 meters. So if I have set preferences of jeans of cost no more than PKR.700, i could receive alerts about all shops of Tariq roads which have jeans of my rang. Since i will be roaming around, whichever shop meets the criteria,it will sent notice to me. Thus it could save my lots of time.
This is just one example while there are many other possibilities.
The main issue is, would such application be appreciated? how can you convinced target audience like Shopkeeper or Buyer?
A/C to following links, the technology is expensive. Maybe it’s old or I am missing something?
tinyurl.com/yoyao9
tinyurl.com/24s7o4
@Cubano
I agree there is a security issue concern with RFIDs. But I believe it is no worse than any other computer related technology out there.
@Adnan
bluetooth is not used b/c of its high cost of transmitter/sensor. RFID passive tags are few cents a piece.
Nayab, of course there are aspects of these high tech systems that have applications that would benefit all Pakistanis, but we both know this is not a priority and they will never be used for those good purposes as long as current situation is in place. And that’s what I’m speaking out against.
We can see who gets the money and how it gets spent. How you can defend this is beyond my understanding. There are very few more elitist societies on this planet than Pakistan. One of them happens to be Angola, which–surreally–has the highest foreign sales of Mercedes Benz automobiles in the world. These are the oil millioniares, driving by children maimed by land mines as they beg in the road. Not very good company to be in when you think about it…
You could argue that improving the technology on the oil rigs would somehow benefit all Angolans, and perhaps sound quite rational making such a theoretical argument. Yet, increased oil revenue clearly does nothing in practice except purchase more Mercedes autos–and dare I say it–the people who drive them will want lovely roads to drive them on. They may even put in an automated toll system for their Mercedes (ahem). Since the oil millionaires are also the government, we can see how fast life is going to improve for the beggars and victims of war (not at all). There is very little short of a revolution that will change this. The precise same scenario is unfolding in Chad as we speak.
Trickle down economics has been discredited. This is why.
what kind of security issues are associated with RFID? if it’s all about data transmitting then it could be issue of other mode of transmission as well?
BTW, what are alternatives other than RFID? and what about Bluetooth devices?