Free Flow: tolling without toll booths for efficient and safe Smart Roads

The Free Flow system for toll-free highway toll payment has long been emerging as an efficient and sustainable model for the future of smart roads. This technology, which eliminates the need for physical toll booths by enabling seamless toll payment and improving traffic flow, is part of a broader vision of the Intelligent Transport System (ITS) concept, in which road infrastructure becomes connected, intelligent, and capable of interacting with vehicles and the surrounding environment. Free Flow, in particular, is a way to address the challenges of increased traffic, road safety, and the often large costs of building and maintaining toll booths.

The Smart Road concept implies road infrastructure that uses advanced technologies such as IoT sensors and data analytics platforms to improve safety, optimize traffic and reduceenvironmental impact. Within this scenario, the Free Flow system fits perfectly with its automated capabilities and ability to collect real-time data useful for optimizing the entire road network. Indeed, with the intensification of urban and intercity traffic, many road infrastructures face complex challenges, such as queues and slowdowns at physical toll booths, which compromise traffic flow and increase pollutant emissions. Instead, by combining technologies such as automatic license plate recognition, these systems enable seamless payment and the collection of useful data to optimize the entire road network.

Free Flow toll systems combine several technologies to provide aseamless experience for users and optimal infrastructure management. At the heart of their operation are IoT sensors and real-time fast data processing, which enable them to collect and analyze large amounts of information in a matter of moments.
This network of technologies works in synergy to automate and optimize every step of the tolling process:

• Automatic license plate recognition: high-definition cameras identify vehicles and automatically calculate tolls
• Digital payment platforms: Free Flow systems support a wide range of payment methods, including electronic wallets and digital subscriptions.
• Continuous monitoring: integrated IoT sensors collect data on traffic and network conditions, providing a broader view of the road system.

The installation of toll-free systems brings significant benefits, making road infrastructure more efficient, sustainable and safe. Here are the main benefits:

• Congestion reduction: by eliminating physical toll booths, queues are avoided, improving traffic flow and reducing travel time.
• Road safety: automated payment replaces payment at toll booths, helping to reduce the risk of accidents and eliminating the dangers associated with sudden braking or lane changes in their vicinity.
• Energy and environmental efficiency: by avoiding forced stops and optimizing routes, both fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions are reduced, benefiting the environment.
• Reduced construction and maintenance costs: the elimination of physical toll gates results in significant savings in infrastructure expenses. Not only are the high costs associated with the construction of physical barriers avoided, but the costs related to their routine and extraordinary maintenance are also reduced.

These advantages make Free Flow systems an ideal solution for modernizing road infrastructure, combining economic savings and operational improvements in a Smart Road and Intelligent Transport System context.