
A joint venture - called Natras - between Kapsch TrafficCom and Swiss company LostnFound is underpinning Switzerland's national truck toll system.
The tolls, introduced by the Swiss Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG), have begun after a pilot phase involving several thousand vehicles.
The eight-year Natras deal - with optional two-year extension - totals around €54 million. The 50:50 joint venture involves customer service, vehicle equipment and data collection for heavy goods vehicles weighing more than 3.5 tonnes.
Kapsch will supply up to 55,000 satellite-based, TÜV-certified on-board units (GNSS OBUs) to be installed in Swiss trucks. They use satellite localisation to determine waypoints throughout the country's road network.
The driving data is processed there and then transferred to BAZG for further processing and duty calculation.
"The start of live operations marks a significant milestone in the full digitalisation of Swiss toll collection," says Carolin Treichl, EVP EMEA at Kapsch TrafficCom.
"With the new system, on-board units no longer need to be installed by workshops, but can now be installed independently, saving time and money."