In order to reduce distortions related to the current toll collection model in Brazil and, at the same time, offer the user a fairer, more modern and efficient system, the government of São Paulo State created the Point-to-Point programme, the first toll system in the country collected by kilometre actually travelled.
The pilot project, launched in April, has the LMS511 laser measurement sensor from SICK and was implemented on a highway between the São Paulo State cities of Itatiba and Jundiai.
Electronic collection systems scan tags installed on the vehicles and then the toll is prepaid. To make the collection by kilometre actually travelled possible, tags similar to those used by the electronic collection system were installed on the vehicles. But here, gates had been established at certain points of the highway, which automatically scan the tags, recognising the appliance, and debiting only the credit amount from the user.
In accordance with Alexandre Fontes, IT manager of Concessionária Rota das Bandeiras S.A, each gate has two LMS511 laser measurement sensors, together with RFID antennas and video cameras, and software developed by TECSIDEL.
"The vehicles have an RFID tag which contains information. Upon passing the gate, the LMS511 identifies the vehicle profile and activates the gate RFID antenna, which scans the RFID tags and activates the video camera which records an image of them.
"We are extremely satisfied with the performance and the value which the LMS511 has added to the toll without barriers project denominated "Point-to-Point", developed together with ARTESP and also with our collection system integrator, TECSIDEL.
"Without it, we would not be able to ensure a synchronism of starting the images obtained by the cameras and we would also have to install the traditional electromagnetic loop amplifiers in the paving, i.e., besides not being intrusive, the system is practical and quickly implemented anywhere.
"Moreover, it will allow other analyses to be made, due to its capacity of classifying vehicles into differentiated categories," points out Alexandre Fontes. And adds: "This product will certainly be used at all the other gates of the Point-to-Point system foreseen for our stretch."
