Indra wins a contract in the United States to implement an advanced tolling system
Indra, a leading global technology and consulting company, has been awarded a contract by the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) to implement its most advanced intelligent mobility technology. Specifically, Indra will equip a section of the I-485 beltway, one of North Carolina's main roads, with a free-flow dynamic toll system (Managed Lanes) for its Express Lanes, which will contribute to improve traffic flow.
Indra won this contract after being prequalified for a framework agreement and beating important local and international companies in the sector in an open tender, in which the alliance with Parsons, an important American consulting firm specialised in engineering and transport, as well as the application of innovative technologies such as 3D LiDAR and Artificial Intelligence, played a key role. The project also includes the maintenance of the systems for five years.
Indra's cloud-based tolling solution is one of the most cutting-edge and efficient currently available in the market. In the case of the I-485 motorway, the system will enable the application of dynamic pricing in segregated lanes (Express Lanes) depending on the data collected in real time on traffic density. If the road is very congested, the rate can be adjusted, which reduces the number of users in the Express Lane, reduces traffic intensity and improves travel times.
Indra's solution incorporates the latest digital technologies to facilitate these new mobility policies, which reduce congestion and pollutant emissions, and ensure greater operability for the customer and better service for passengers.
Raúl Ripio, Indra's Mobility & Technology general manager, highlighted that "Indra's continuous commitment to technological improvement and innovation has been crucial to obtain this important contract in North Carolina, which reinforces Indra's Mobility business in the United States and constitutes a unique reference to opt for the numerous opportunities offered by the country's public transport organisations".
Robert Suess, vice president and general manager of Intelligent Infrastructure at Parsons, said, "Our company's partnership with Indra and NCTA will enable us to deliver state-of-the-art tolling technology for the I-485 Express Lanes. Our team is committed to providing exceptional design, engineering and operations support that will improve the lane's tolling systems and ensure efficiency for users.
Technology for infrastructure sustainability
Indra will implement 10 free-flow gantries on I-485, which allow cars to be charged without having to slow down. An "overhead" solution, unique in the market, which incorporates the equipment in the gantries themselves and eliminates intrusive elements in the asphalt. It will also use 3D LiDAR technology, video analytics and AI application. Indra has already successfully implemented this type of system in the I-66 Outside the Beltway (Virginia) and in the El Melón tunnel (Chile). It will also include a central operational system that will enable real-time travel management and operation and will integrate AI algorithms to adjust fares based on traffic. Parsons, for its part, will assume responsibility for engineering design, installation and quality control.
Thanks to the application of 3D LiDAR technology, data on vehicle type and trajectory will be collected in real time with high accuracy. With this data, Artificial Intelligence will perform a precise reading and complete analysis to detect, classify and orchestrate the rest of the systems. Indra's solution will also be able to improve its performance and "learn" through deep learning as more data is captured during operation.
This technology will also enable a reduction in equipment, resulting in a lighter solution with a lower cost for the customer in terms of implementation, maintenance and energy savings. The cloud infrastructure will improve the business in a transversal way and, in addition, Indra's solution is scalable and has great flexibility to adapt to changes required by the client in the future.
Indra is already present in the US mobility business, having recently put into operation one of the most advanced highways in the country, the I-66 Outside the Beltway, with free flow overhead toll systems, automatic detection of High Occupancy Vehicles (HOV), LiDAR technology and connected vehicles. It has also implemented HOV on the express lanes of I-95, I-495 and I-395 in Northern Virginia.