The toll road of the future will be “virtual”, without roadside infrastructure.

A prosperous and growing economy without the necessary highway infrastructure to transport goods and people is not possible. Therefore, a high priority is usually set by most countries on an extensive and well-funded development plan of their highway infrastructure. Efficient and wide-spread infrastructure for transportation is key for the international competitiveness of a country.

Toll systems are the most efficient, fairest and future-oriented way of collecting the necessary money. The required funds for the construction and maintenance can be maximized and the operational cost can be minimized at the same time with the decision for the right toll system.

The decision for a nationwide toll system should be determined by the following factors:

• Total cost of the system within a reasonable time of usage (e.g. >5 years) 
• Interoperability (in accordance to the EU-directives and non-discriminating access)
• Flexibility (being open for future needs, like city access, additional road and vehicle services and similar) 
• Expandability for additional users 
• Easy to use for both the user and the provider
  

A nationwide truck tolling systems based on GNSS/CN technology (Global Navigation Satellite System/Cellular Network)f ulfils all these requirements. GNSS/CN based tolling is characterized by its high flexibility and scalability. It is able to grow with the motorway network without requiring extensive construction matters. The road network to be tolled can be extended quickly by additional toll sections, it is even possible to enhance it for location-based, time-based or distance dependent tariffs.

A GNSS/CN based system requires the lowest investment in infrastructure, because only a very limited number of road side units are required.

For European Union member states the direction for which toll systems to opt is very clear. Directive 2004/52/EC lays down the conditions for the interoperability of electronic road toll systems in the European Union. The Directive requires that all new electronic toll systems brought into service shall use one or more of the following technologies: satellite positioning (GNSS); mobile communications (GSM-GPRS); microwave technology (DSRC).

The Directive also sets up a European Electronic Toll Service (EETS), by which road users only subscribe to a single contract with an EETS provider in order to pay the charges related to any charging scheme requiring an on-board unit. The detailed definition required by Directive 2004/52/EC regarding technical, procedural and legal issues, has been finalized by the European Commission with the help of the Committee for the interoperability of electronic road toll systems.

In their directive 2004/52/EC the EU recommends to their member states the satellite solution (GNSS/CN) in favor of the microwave solution.