SmartTAG
SmartTAG, is an on-board unit (OBU) vehicle-based device used as an electronic toll collection (ETC) system over long distances (maximum 15 metres) to complement Touch 'n Go, a card-based system. It was first introduced in Malaysia in 1999 and is also used as an Entrance Access Security. SmartTAG was designed, developed and manufactured as an extension of the Touch 'n Go System.
Built on a non-stop Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) philosophy, SmartTAG incorporated infra-red communication that communicated with infra-red transceivers mounted at the ceilings of toll plazas to allow vehicle drivers to drive through SmartTAG dedicated lanes and pay toll without stopping. It is designed to process up to 1,200 vehicles per hour.
Among benefits of SmartTAG are:
*SmartTAG is eco-friendly because human exposure to laser transmission is safe and does not cause interference to the communication zone.
*Transaction time of SmartTAG is faster than Touch 'n Go.
*Users can drive non-stop pass toll plaza in normal speed.
*Slotting the Touch 'n Go card in the SmartTAG unit will enable the cardholder to know the card balance when the card is slotted in the SmartTAG.
The SmartTAG, is placed on the windscreen using a mounting arm, which can be adjusted according to the angle of the windscreen. When the Touch 'n Go card is fully inserted into the SmartTAG device, the display panel shows the current credit balance in the Touch 'n Go card and the battery level for a few seconds. Users can fix the SmartTAG device anywhere on the windscreen. However, it works best if placed near the centre of the vehicle windscreen.
The Touch 'n Go card must be fully inserted into the SmartTAG unit before use. The SmartTAG lane has a speed limit of 40km/h.
The SmartTAG will emit a beep sound when transaction is successful and the automatic lane barrier will open. At the exit toll plaza, toll fare will be deducted from the Touch 'n Go card. The toll fare and the new remaining balance will be shown on the Toll Fare Indicator (TFI) at the toll lanes.
The SmartTAG, system also allow flexibility of usage. At toll plazas where SmartTAG lanes are not available, users only need to enter the Touch 'n Go lane, pull out the Touch 'n Go card from the SmartTAG and simply 'TOUCH' the card at the reader.
In other words, the usage of SmartTAG and Touch 'n Go is interchangeable where the driver can first enter the expressway using SmartTAG lane and later exit using Touch 'n Go card through a Touch 'n Go lane.
September 15th, 2009, 06:37 PM
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