GPS-Based Toll System to Replace FASTag

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Context:

The government plans to start a GPS-based toll system in place of FASTag to ensure seamless payment and vehicle movement on national highways.

Relevance:

GS III: Science and Technology

Dimensions of the Article:

Vehicles will be fitted with an electronic device that can track their movement.
Highways will be geo-fenced, creating virtual boundaries. The system will use GPS or radio frequency identification technologies.
The software will recognize when a mobile device enters or leaves a particular area, and toll will be charged based on the distance travelled at the highway’s exit point.
As the system is based on sensors, there will be no need to stop at toll plazas.
Vehicles and users must be registered with the GPS toll system, linked to bank accounts that will be used to transfer toll payments.

FASTag is an electronic toll collection system in India, operated by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).
It employs Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology for making toll payments directly from the prepaid or savings account linked to it or directly toll owner.
As per NHAI, FASTag has unlimited validity. 7.5% cashback offers were also provided to promote the use of FASTag.
Dedicated Lanes at some Toll plazas have been built for FASTag.

Digital transaction makes it easier to collect toll fees.
Congestion in Toll plazas will reduce.
Non-stop movement at the highways will reduce Fuel consumption and even pollution.
The Effort in Managing toll gates is reduced as the system is more automated.
There will also be reduced paper wastage (in the form of tokens/receipts)
This will be a unifying system as FASTags are not specific to the state or region and work all over India.

Technical issues and glitches are possible which makes the system susceptible to false charges or other such issues.
All the toll booths are yet to be made FASTag compatible and this has not necessarily reduced the congestion issue yet.
The RFID technology is not failproof and can be misused by duplication or other “hacks”.
The FASTags sold by banks have to be recharged from the same bank, as they are not Bank Neutral (unless you buy it directly from NHAI).

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) uses radio waves to communicate between two objects: a reader and a tag. RFID communication is the same as two-way radio communication in the sense that information is transmitted or received via a radio wave at a specific frequency.
Passive tags collect energy from a nearby RFID reader’s interrogating radio waves. Active tags have a local power source such as a battery and may operate at hundreds of meters from the RFID reader.

RFID applications apart from usage in Toll collection:

Self-checkins at Libraries / rental services as well as retail premises.
Livestock Management and pet identification.
Building Security – secure access controls, documentation and passports.
Airports – for baggage tracking and tracing/locating.
SMART home controls – systems to manage home/business energy consumption/production.
Seismic Sensing – such as locating gas lines and temperature sensing (geophysical).
Environmental – Energy, Ozone & Pollution measuring equipment.

-Source: Live Mint