Attempts to Remote Operation of ETC Facility in Case of Unusual Incidents at ETC Lanes

The percentage of ETC (Electronic Toll Collection System)-equipped vehicles exceeds 80% as of December 2009. The ETC service was started in 2000, and the number used has shown a rapid increase. The ETC service is becoming more widespread compared with the commencement year, 2000. Various factors contribute to this rapid increase. Nowadays unmanned and cash-less toll collection at dedicated ETC interchanges, called Smart Interchanges, are placed for drivers’ convenience. To the authors' regret it is inevitable that an ‘unusual vehicle’ may have some problems, e.g. failure to insert ETC card into the in-vehicle device or incorrectly inserted ETC card, and thus approaches the ETC lane, because of an increase of new drivers. In these cases, barriers are not activated and the lane is to be closed for a while. To release the closure, an attendant at the toll gate office away from the lane (not at the non-ETC toll gate booth, the same shall apply hereinafter) has to come to the lane. This work is very dangerous for him and takes time. Therefore, remote operation is strongly required. This report consists of an explanation and trial result on newly developed gate bar (barrier) for remote operation.