Survey of Technologies for the Implementation of National‐scale Road User Charging

Abstract

This paper surveys the technologies available for constructing a pervasive, national-scale road pricing system. It defines the different types of road pricing, the methods by which a vehicle's position can be determined, and then examines possible pricing regimes in the context of their technological requirements and implications. The issue of enforcement and the distribution of pricing policies are considered, and further complexities are outlined. An examination of the security aspects of such systems is made, focusing particularly on the need to ensure privacy using technological, rather than solely procedural, methods. The survey concludes that a pervasive, national-scale deployment is unlikely to be technically achievable in the short term.

Reforming Road User Charges: A Research Challenge for Regional Science

“…A third challenge is how to deal with vehicles that have faulty (or no) equipment. ANPR is the only technology that does not require vehicle equipment, and is therefore the only (relatively) sure-fire means of enforcement (Cottingham, Beresford, and Harle, 2007). 12 Public concerns about privacy are yet another barrier to the implementation of satellite-based charging although systems can be designed so that only aggregate data on time and place of travel are communicated (Whitty, Imholt, and Redman, 2008).…”

Security Digital Evidence

“…Transport for London [27] said in their report that the evidential integrity of digital pictures must be provided (although only symmetric keys are used). Cottingham, Beresford, and Harle [7] noted that if digital images are taken they require digital signatures at the point they are taken.…”

Security Issues in Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks

“…For instance, V2I solutions for road tolling are already deployed in certain places in the world to allow paying for road usage on congested roads, with prices depending on congestion levels. In the future, vehicular networks could enable that drivers are charged for their specific usage of the road network (Cottingham et al, 2007). The idea of autonomous vehicles that are able to operate in urban areas while obeying traffic regulations is part of a collection of revolutionary applications called coordinated driving applications.…”