Tolling & highway software, defined

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR), also called ALPR, uses cameras and computer vision to read vehicle license plates automatically — a core technology for video tolling, enforcement, and free-flow lanes.

An Advanced Traffic Management System (ATMS) is the central software that traffic operators use to monitor and control a road network in real time — incidents, CCTV, dynamic message signs, work zones, and lane/device status — from a single command center.

Dedicated Short-Range Communications (DSRC) is a short-range wireless protocol used between roadside readers and in-vehicle On-Board Units to exchange identification and charging data at highway speed in electronic tolling.

Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) apply sensing, networking, and software to transport infrastructure to improve safety, flow, and efficiency — covering traffic management, electronic tolling, incident detection, and connected roadside devices.

Multi-Lane Free Flow (MLFF) tolling charges vehicles at full highway speed across all lanes with no barriers or toll booths, using overhead gantries with cameras, readers, and sensors to identify vehicles and capture transactions.

A Network Communication System (NCS) is the networking framework that connects a toll road's roadside devices — cameras, readers, sensors, signage — to central systems securely and reliably, replacing fragile, monolithic gantry-server networking.

The back office (BOS) is the software that turns toll transactions into revenue — rating, invoicing, violations, and collections. An Open Back Office (OBO) is one built on open, API-first interfaces rather than a closed, vendor-locked stack, so operators can integrate and evolve it freely.

An On-Board Unit (OBU), sometimes called On-Board Equipment (OBE), is the in-vehicle device that communicates with roadside or satellite systems to identify a vehicle and charge tolls automatically, enabling free-flow (barrier-less) tolling.

Road Operations Management (ROMS) is the real-time monitoring and control of a toll road's operations — device health, transaction flow, interfaces, SLAs, and incident response — typically run from a 24/7 control room so problems are caught before they cost revenue.

Road User Charging (RUC) is the practice of charging drivers for road use — by distance, time, location, or vehicle type — rather than (or alongside) fuel taxes. Electronic tolling is the most common RUC mechanism.