The RFID chip is affixed on the inside of the windshield. It measures just 1.5 x 10 cm. Photo: motionID technologies |
Vacant
parking spaces in town are thin on the ground. Finding one is just as
tiresome as making sure you have the right change for the parking
machine. An adhesive microchip on the windshield will make things much
easier by unlocking the door to cashless parking.
The
car moves slowly towards the car park exit, the barriers open
automatically?without the driver having to wind down the window and
insert a ticket. This is thanks to a small RFID chip on the inside of
the windshield. Devices on the ceiling above the car park entrance and
exit read the adhesive foil transponder measuring just 1.5 x 10 cm and
register the parking time. The fees are charged by a direct debit from
an online account.
VIATAG
is the name of the RFID system which the research scientists at the
Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML in Dortmund
have developed for Munich-based company motionID technologies.
“Waiting
at the parking machine, searching for change, losing your ticket?all
that is a thing of the past. The car driver saves time and enjoys a more
convenient service,” says project manager Arnd Ciprina from the IML,
listing the advantages of the system. And the car-park operators benefit
too. The cost of recording and billing the parking time is reduced, but
they can continue to use their existing systems in parallel to the new
solution.
VIATAG
is a passive RFID solution, which means that the microchip does not
need a battery. It draws its energy from the electromagnetic field of
the reader device. The radio data are transmitted in the ultra-high
frequency (UHF) range and the distance between the transponder and
reader can be up to eight meters. Each chip has its own twelve-digit
code, enabling every car to be identified when passing through the
entrance and exit. The fees are charged in the background online. A
database application running on a central server controls the payment
transactions. The customer can maintain an overview of the amounts
debited at all times on a web application, like online banking. A list
of the parking time and charges can be printed out as a partial or
complete account. The total amount owed is paid at the end of the month
by direct debit.
Data security is not a problem either.
“No
personal data is stored on the chip. The twelve-digit code is encrypted
so that third parties cannot connect the identification number with a
user,” says Ciprina.
Nor
is it worth stealing the foil transponder. If the sticker is removed
from the windshield it self-destructs and cannot be used again.
VIATAG
successfully passed the initial practical tests, which lasted several
weeks. The system has already been installed in public car parks in
Essen, Duisburg and Munich. The research scientists at the IML and
motionID technologies now hope that a lot more car-park operators will
support the solution. Other sectors should also find the contactless and
cashless payment system interesting. Automatic billing would be
suitable for highway service plazas, gas stations, drive-in cinemas and
eateries, car washes and car hire firms, adds Ciprina.
