New Highway Uses for AVI Systems

Abstract

Automatic vehicle identification (AVI) is the process and technology by which vehicles arc uniquely identified without any action being required of the driver or by wayside observers. The present status of AVI systems for revenue collection, road pricing, and heavy‐vehicle highway management‐information systems are described in this paper. Specific AVI projects discussed include: toll projects in Jacksonville, Florida; San Diego, California; Dallas, Texas; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Virginia; the San Francisco International Airport Commercial vehicle toll project; congestion pricing projects in Hong Kong and Singapore; and the HELP/Crescent Study. Experience gained on these specific projects indicates that AVI is an effective and viable technology, but public acceptance, particularly for congestion pricing, is a major problem impeding implementation. Progress on these individual AVI projects also suggests the need for increased coordination efforts.