Pay to Drive Using RFID, or Pay The Government Later?

Posted Mar 7th 2006 10:23AM by Brian White
Filed under: RFID, Applications

In a very unique twist of RFID use, it seems drivers in Sweden are just starting to ~~use~~ test RFID tags in their vehicles in order to pay for the privelege of driving on certain Sweish roads and highways. Wait, paying to drive? Yes - true. In order to cut pollution and traffic congestion, the Swedish government hatched this idea to make citizens actually pay for driving - I guess as a "decentive" to just drive for the fun of it, but to ensure only those who needed to drive (for work, etc.) would be driving. What? Huh?

If this IBM-developed system makes it ot the U.S., this would cause a consumer backlash of epidemic proportions. Yet, somehow I agree with the concept, especially in large metros where the traffic is a nightmare, like Manhattan or San Francisco. But, charging drivers just for driving would be like asking people to pay $5 for a gallon of gas - the heart of a recent story over at Wired. Would such a "test" work in the U.S.? Very unlikely - we like our leisure drives. So, if it does make it here, some enterprising individual should start making and selling the James Bond-ish motorized switch-a-roo license plate contraption.

Reader Comments

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1. This is already in place to some degree as a result of the EZ-Pass and Fast Lane Systems. Also, take a look at London. You can't drive in the City of London without paying a very large fee in order to prevent gridlock and overload of the roads. If the system works is not the question, it's enforcing it and determining whether or not the public will put up with it. RFid will just be the means to track the cars within the transportation grid.

Posted at 1:52PM on Mar 7th 2006 by Derek Tomlinson

2. In the UK, fuel prices are already at $7 per gallon and out government is looking at implementing a $2 per mile road tax. This technology is well on its way to becoming reality - the question is simply when?

Posted at 9:07AM on Mar 8th 2006 by Mark Owen-Ward

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