Smart TAG
Encyclopedia
SmartTAG is an on-board unit (OBU) vehicle-based device used as an electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...

 (ETC) system over long distances (maximum 15 metres) to complement Touch 'n Go
Touch 'n Go
The Touch 'n Go or smart card is used by Malaysian toll expressway and highway operators as the sole electronic payment system . The credit card sized smartcard made of plastic with Philips' MIFARE microchip technology embedded in it....

, a card-based system. It was first introduced in Malaysia in 1999 and is also used as an Entrance Access Security.

Features

Main article: Touch 'n Go
Touch 'n Go
The Touch 'n Go or smart card is used by Malaysian toll expressway and highway operators as the sole electronic payment system . The credit card sized smartcard made of plastic with Philips' MIFARE microchip technology embedded in it....


SmartTAG was designed, developed and manufactured by Teras Teknologi
Teras Teknologi
Teras Teknologi , currently a subsidiary of UEM Group Berhad is a Malaysian global corporation based in Kuala Lumpur....

 Sdn Bhd as an extension of the Touch 'n Go
Touch 'n Go
The Touch 'n Go or smart card is used by Malaysian toll expressway and highway operators as the sole electronic payment system . The credit card sized smartcard made of plastic with Philips' MIFARE microchip technology embedded in it....

 system, initially as a replacement of PLUS TAG. It is being marketed by Touch 'n Go Sdn Bhd (fomerly Rangkaian Segar Sdn Bhd).

The intellectual property rights to the SmartTag belong to the an Austrian company known as EFKON Gmbh. The president of EFKON, Dr Helmut Rieder, was the one who set up a joint venture with UEM to form Infrared Advance Technology Sdn Bhd (IRAT).

The SmartTAG is currently priced at RM100 per unit purchase with minimum reload amount of RM100 excluding Touch 'n Go card and transaction value. This is a subsidised price as UEM has to pay royalty to EFKON for each SmartTag assembled by IRAT.

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.

The SmartTAG infra-red technology cannot handle the requirement for Multi Lane Free Flow
Multi-Lane Free Flow in Malaysia
The Multi-Lane Free Flow ' is a system that allows free flow high speed tolling for all highway users. With MLFF, current toll lanes at toll plazas can be replaced with ordinary mulitlane road segments. By using tags with readers at gantry across the highway to detect vehicle and deduct toll using...

 (MLFF). It will be replaced by the microwave 5.8 GHz transponder systems which are currently undergoing testing under the purview of Malaysian Highway Authority
Malaysian Highway Authority
The Malaysian Highway Authority or Lembaga Lebuhraya Malaysia is a government agency under the Malaysian Ministry of Works...

 (MHA).

History

Prior to the introduction of SmartTAG, several different types of non-stop ETC were already being used in Malaysia:
  • PLUS TAG for all PLUS (Projek Lebuhraya Utara Selatan) expressways in Klang Valley
    Klang Valley
    Klang Valley is an area in Malaysia comprising Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs, and adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. An alternative reference to this would be Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan Area or Greater Kuala Lumpur. It is geographically delineated by Titiwangsa Mountains to the...

     1994-1999
  • FasTrak for all Gamuda Expressway Networks 1995-2004
  • Saga Tag for Cheras - Kajang Expressway
    Cheras - Kajang Expressway
    The Cheras-Kajang Expressway is an expressway in Klang Valley that links the incorporated township of Cheras, Kuala Lumpur to the town of Kajang in Selangor, Malaysia.-Route background:...

     1999-2004


SmartTAG was officially launched on 15 March 1999, phasing out PLUS TAG at over 20 plazas of Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan (PLUS) / North-South Expressway (NSE):
  1. Batu Tiga
  2. Sungai Rasau
  3. Shah Alam
  4. Seafield
  5. USJ
  6. KLIA
  7. Jalan Duta
  8. Bukit Raja
  9. Damansara
  10. Subang
  11. Sungai Besi
  12. UPM
  13. Kajang
  14. Bangi
  15. Seremban
  16. Port Dickson Utara dan Selatan
  17. Senawang
  18. Bukit Beruntung
  19. Rawang
  20. Sungai Buloh
  21. Lembah Beringin
  22. Bidor
  23. Tapah
  24. Ipoh
  25. Kuala Kangsar
  26. Taiping
  27. Jawi
  28. Bukit Tambun
  29. Bertam
  30. Sungai Petani
  31. Gurun
  32. Pendang
  33. Alor Star
  34. Ayer Hitam


The system was then expanded to include 4 toll plazas of North-South Expressway Central Link
North-South Expressway Central Link
North South Expressway Central Link, NSECL , also known as ELITE or ELITE Highway, is the main expressway in Malaysia. The of the expressway starts from Shah Alam Interchange until Nilai North Interchange...

 (ELITE) from Bukit Beruntung
Bukit Beruntung
Bukit Beruntung is a township in Selangor, Malaysia. It is located near Serendah in Hulu Selangor district. This township is developed by Talam Corporation Berhad. It is accessible via a Bukit Beruntung Interchange of the North-South Expressway Northern Route , the Jalan Bukit Beruntung trunk...

 to Senawang
Senawang
Senawang is a satellite town located in the district of Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.-Geography:Senawang is situated about 7 kilometres from Seremban town. It is located in a higher level flat terrain than other towns in Seremban. The terrain is suitable for industrial.-Demographics:Bahasa...

.

In December 2003, Minister of Works, Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu
Samy Vellu
Dato' Seri Samy Vellu Sangalimuthu is an Indian Malaysian politician. He is the longest serving President of the Malaysian Indian Congress , a component party of the Barisan Nasional coalition, holding the position since 1979, for 11 consecutive terms...

 directed the implementation of a single ETC nationwide as a form of standardisation and convenience of use for road users. The directive requires all major toll operators in Malaysia to have a minimum of 2 Touch 'n Go and 1 SmartTAG lanes per direction at every plazas. The directive was gradually implemented by all major toll operators in July 2004 and marked the cessation of other types of non-stop ETCs in Malaysia.

In 2004, SmartTAG expanded as entrance access security for residential area. It was first (currently only) deployed at Ledang Heights Bungalow Park, in Nusajaya, Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...

, a prestigious housing community developed by Nusajaya Land Sdn Bhd.

Benefits

Among benefits of SmartTAG are:
  • SmartTAG is eco-friendly because human exposure to infrared 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 below 40 km/h (24.9 mph).

  • 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.

Electronic Payment System (EPS)

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 40 km/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.

EPS Coverage

SmartTAG lanes are available at most toll plazas:: North-South Expressway (NSE northern route, including the New Klang Valley Expressway
New Klang Valley Expressway
The New Klang Valley Expressway, or the NKVE refers to a stretch of the North-South Expressway in Peninsular Malaysia which starts from Bukit Raja near Klang town, and ends at Jalan Duta in Kuala Lumpur. It is a busiest expressway in Klang Valley during rush hour from/to Kuala Lumpur...

 (NKVE)): North-South Expressway (NSE southern route): Second Link Expressway
Second Link Expressway
Second Link Expressway , is the expressway which links Senai North at North-South Expressway, Senai Airport and Taman Perling, Johor Bahru via its extension known as Pontian-Johor Bahru Parkway to the Malaysia-Singapore Second Link.Usually, travelling along the second link is much faster than...

 (MSSC/LINKEDUA): Shah Alam Expressway
Shah Alam Expressway
Shah Alam Expressway, SAE , is part of a comprehensive network of road links in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The expressway connects from Pandamaran in Klang, Selangor to Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. Shah Alam Expressway is the third east-west-oriented expressway in the Klang Valley after the...

 (SAE/KESAS): North-South Expressway Central Link
North-South Expressway Central Link
North South Expressway Central Link, NSECL , also known as ELITE or ELITE Highway, is the main expressway in Malaysia. The of the expressway starts from Shah Alam Interchange until Nilai North Interchange...

 (NSECL/ELITE): Cheras - Kajang Expressway
Cheras - Kajang Expressway
The Cheras-Kajang Expressway is an expressway in Klang Valley that links the incorporated township of Cheras, Kuala Lumpur to the town of Kajang in Selangor, Malaysia.-Route background:...

 (CKE/Grand Saga) (part of Federal Route ): Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway and East Coast Expressway
East Coast Expressway
The East Coast Expressway, ECE or is an expressway in Malaysia. It is an extension of Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway, which starts from Kuala Lumpur to Karak. It provides a link from the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia to the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It features a closed toll system...

 (LPT) (part of Federal Route ): Sungai Besi Expressway
Sungai Besi Expressway
Sungai Besi Expressway, SBE, or Besraya Expressway is an expressway in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia connecting Kuala Lumpur to UPM Interchange...

 (SBE/BESRAYA): New Pantai Expressway
New Pantai Expressway
New Pantai Expressway, ' is a major expressway in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia. The expressway has provided an easier access to Kuala Lumpur from Subang Jaya and Bandar Sunway to avoid the traffic jams on the Federal Highway route during rush hour...

 (NPE): Damansara-Puchong Expressway
Damansara-Puchong Expressway
The Damansara–Puchong Expressway or Lebuhraya Damansara-Puchong, LDP, is a major expressway in Klang Valley, Selangor in Malaysia. It links major townships in Damansara and Puchong and decreases travel time between them...

 (LDP): Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway
Ampang-Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway
Ampang – Kuala Lumpur Elevated Highway, AKLEH is the first elevated highway in Malaysia. The elevated highway connects Ampang and Kuala Lumpur. This highway was built to reduce traffic jams and make access to the city more convenient. Motorcycles and other vehicles with 2 wheels or less are not...

 (AKLEH): Kemuning-Shah Alam Highway
Kemuning-Shah Alam Highway
The Kemuning – Shah Alam Highway or Lebuhraya Kemuning-Shah Alam, LKSA, is an expressway in Klang Valley, Selangor, Malaysia. The expressway connects Kemuning Interchange of the Shah Alam Expressway near Kota Kemuning until Federal Highway Route 2 Interchange of the Federal Highway route near...

 (LKSA): Butterworth-Kulim Expressway
Butterworth-Kulim Expressway
Butterworth–Kulim Expressway, BKE is an expressway in Malaysia. The expressway connects Butterworth, Penang in the west to Kulim, Kedah in the east...

 (BKE): Butterworth Outer Ring Road
Butterworth Outer Ring Road
Butterworth Outer Ring Road or BORR is an expressway in Butterworth, Penang, Malaysia. This expressway connects Sungai Dua in the north until Perai in the south.- History :...

 (BORR): Kajang Dispersial Link Expressway (SILK): Maju Expressway
Maju Expressway
The Maju Expressway ' is the main expressway network in Klang Valley, Malaysia...

 (Kuala Lumpur-Putrajaya Expressway): Kajang-Seremban Highway
Kajang-Seremban Highway
The Kajang-Seremban Highway, KASEH , or LEKAS Highway is an expressway in Malaysia connecting Kajang, Selangor to Seremban, Negeri Sembilan...

 (KASEH/LEKAS): Senai-Desaru Expressway
Senai-Desaru Expressway
Senai-Desaru Expressway, SDE , is an expressway in Johor, Malaysia. It is also part of the Iskandar Malaysia . It connects Senai in western Johor to Desaru in eastern Johor. The expressway measures a total length of...

 (SDE): Sprint Expressway
Sprint Expressway
Sprint Expressway is the main expressway network in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The of expressway is divided into three sections. This sections included the Kerinchi Link, Damansara Link and Penchala Link...

 (Kerinchi Link, Damansara Link and Penchala Link): Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selangor Expressway
Kuala Lumpur-Kuala Selangor Expressway
The Kuala Lumpur – Kuala Selangor Expressway, KLS or sometimes called it LATAR Expressway, is an expressway in Selangor, Malaysia. It's also part of the Kuala Lumpur Outer Ring Road...

 (KLS/LATAR): South Klang Valley Expressway
South Klang Valley Expressway
The South Klang Valley Expressway or SKVE is an expressway in the southern part of Klang Valley, Malaysia's most densely populated region. This dual-carriageway provides links to the booming towns in southern Klang Valley, including the country's administrative capital, Putrajaya...

 (SKVE): Seremban-Port Dickson Highway
Seremban-Port Dickson Highway
Seremban-Port Dickson Highway, SPDH, is an expressways in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. It was built to shorten the traveling distance from Seremban to Port Dickson and acts as an alternative route for Federal route which has dangerous corners along the route...

 (SPDH): New North Klang Straits Bypass
New North Klang Straits Bypass
New North Klang Straits Bypass is an expressway in Klang, Selangor, Malaysia. The expressway also acts as the North Klang Straits Bypass to avoid the accident-prone area on this road.-Route background:...

 (Shahpadu): Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway
Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway
Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway, DUKE, is the main expressway network in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The expressway connects New Klang Valley Expressway's Jalan Duta Interchange to Taman Hillview Interchange on Kuala Lumpur Middle Ring Road 2 in Ulu Klang...

 (DUKE): Guthrie Corridor Expressway
Guthrie Corridor Expressway
Guthrie Corridor Expressway, GCE, is an expressway in Klang Valley, Selangor, Malaysia. It connects Shah Alam to Rawang. It is owned by Prolintas with it subsidiaries Prolintas Expressway Sdn Bhd...

 (GCE): Penang Bridge
Penang Bridge
Penang Bridge is a dual carriageway toll bridge connects Gelugor on the island of Penang and Seberang Prai on the mainland of Malaysia on the Malay Peninsula. The bridge is also linked to the North-South Expressway in Prai and Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu Expressway in Penang. It was officially opened to...

 (PBSB): East-West Link Expressway
East-West Link Expressway
The East–West Link Expressway or Salak Expressway is an extension of Malaysia's Federal Highway from Seputeh to Taman Connaught in Cheras...

 (MetaCorp): Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel
SMART Tunnel
The "Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel" or "SMART Tunnel", is a storm drainage and road structure in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a major national project in the country...

 (SMART)

More lanes will be added progressively for new highway in the future.: JB Eastern Dispersal Link
JB Eastern Dispersal Link
JB Eastern Dispersal Link also known as Johor Bahru Eastern Dispersal Scheme is a new expressway in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. The expressway will connect the end of North-South Expressway Southern Route at Pandan to the new Sultan Iskandar Building CIQ Complex in the city centre...

 (U/C): West Coast Expressway
West Coast Expressway
The West Coast Expressway, WCE or , is a planned expressway that will be built on the west coast of Peninsula Malaysia. It will connect Taiping, Perak to Banting in Selangor...

 (U/D)

Note: U/C - Under construction, U/D - Under Development

Entrance access security

To diversify the usages of SmartTAG and to attract further subscription of SmartTAG, Teras Teknologi
Teras Teknologi
Teras Teknologi , currently a subsidiary of UEM Group Berhad is a Malaysian global corporation based in Kuala Lumpur....

 with cooperation from Nusajaya Land Sdn Bhd, developer of Bandar Nusajaya
Bandar Nusajaya
Nusajaya is a regional city, located west of Johor, Malaysia.-Kota Iskandar :The JSNAC at Nusajaya houses the Johor State and Federal government department offices and spans over 320 acres with landscaped gardens and parks...

 implemented a secure Entrance Access Security for Ledang Heights Bungalow Park.

Touted as Beverly Hills of Johor
Johor
Johor is a Malaysian state, located in the southern portion of Peninsular Malaysia. It is one of the most developed states in Malaysia. The state capital city and royal city of Johor is Johor Bahru, formerly known as Tanjung Puteri...

, Ledang Heights consists of 571 bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...

 lots situated off the expressway to Singapore, North-South Expressway Central Link
North-South Expressway Central Link
North South Expressway Central Link, NSECL , also known as ELITE or ELITE Highway, is the main expressway in Malaysia. The of the expressway starts from Shah Alam Interchange until Nilai North Interchange...

 (NSECL/ELITE) and within six kilometres from the Sultan Abu Bakar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex.

SmartTAG offer both security and convenience. Security is provided by two layers of electronic recognition required to access the perimeter; a SmartTAG unit and an assigned smartcard registered to the security department. These units have to be detected simultaneously on authorised vehicles to gain entry into Ledang Heights. SmartTAG and card assigned can also be used in all highways that adopt SmartTAG as an EPS.

Plans are underway for further adaptations of SmartTAG in other prestigious housing developments.

See also

  • Multi-Lane Free Flow in Malaysia
    Multi-Lane Free Flow in Malaysia
    The Multi-Lane Free Flow ' is a system that allows free flow high speed tolling for all highway users. With MLFF, current toll lanes at toll plazas can be replaced with ordinary mulitlane road segments. By using tags with readers at gantry across the highway to detect vehicle and deduct toll using...

     (MLFF)
  • Malaysian expressway system
    Malaysian Expressway System
    The Malaysian Expressway System , which begins with the North-South Expressway , is currently in the process of being substantially developed...

  • Electronic toll collection
    Electronic toll collection
    Electronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...

  • Teras Teknologi
    Teras Teknologi
    Teras Teknologi , currently a subsidiary of UEM Group Berhad is a Malaysian global corporation based in Kuala Lumpur....

  • Smart Tag Bodo

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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