05.20.16
Electronic toll collection (ETC) and other smart traffic systems present many technical challenges. The identification information must be read quickly, reliably and securely. The system must be secured against frauds and counterfeiting. The new Xenon traffic labels by Confidex have been designed to tackle all these challenges.
The first product in Xenon line was born when a customer in Asia needed an RFID traffic label that would hold in a motorcycle lamp. The application is demanding – the label is exposed to weather, it must be transparent so it doesn’t obstruct the light and it cannot be transferred to another vehicle.
During product development, Confidex experienced a breakthrough in making the label extremely tamper proof with an innovative break on removal structure. More development work was made to make the label even more suitable for mass production – the production volumes in this application can be hundreds of millions. Extensive testing for chemical resistance was made as well, as the label can be exposed to anything from car wash to road salt.
The premium model of the product line is a windshield label called Confidex Xenon VIP, which combines all the tamper proof qualities of the basic model with a real first in passive RFID traffic labels: a high level crypto mechanism on state-of-the-art NXP chip. The need for encryption is clear due to the nature of road tolls: they are essentially payments, so why not have the similar security as with a credit card?
Of course, encryption on a passive RFID label presents many technical challenges. The latest advances in NXP chips have made the application possible in the first place, as the reading and two-way authentication must take place in milliseconds and the reading distance must be reasonably long.
The name VIP stands for Variable Information Printing. The labels can be made in different colors, with graphics or printed safety features according to customer needs. Also the size or shape of the label can be altered as needed.
Bringing crypto mechanism to traffic label can affect many aspects of automatic vehicle identification (AVI) and electronic toll collection (ETC). By pushing the limits of technology a bit further Confidex has potentially changed the way we all drive and pay for road tolls or parking – and much more. Indeed, more and more national operators are shifting towards the batteryless, passive RFID technology because it makes sense both economically and environmentally.
The first product in Xenon line was born when a customer in Asia needed an RFID traffic label that would hold in a motorcycle lamp. The application is demanding – the label is exposed to weather, it must be transparent so it doesn’t obstruct the light and it cannot be transferred to another vehicle.
During product development, Confidex experienced a breakthrough in making the label extremely tamper proof with an innovative break on removal structure. More development work was made to make the label even more suitable for mass production – the production volumes in this application can be hundreds of millions. Extensive testing for chemical resistance was made as well, as the label can be exposed to anything from car wash to road salt.
The premium model of the product line is a windshield label called Confidex Xenon VIP, which combines all the tamper proof qualities of the basic model with a real first in passive RFID traffic labels: a high level crypto mechanism on state-of-the-art NXP chip. The need for encryption is clear due to the nature of road tolls: they are essentially payments, so why not have the similar security as with a credit card?
Of course, encryption on a passive RFID label presents many technical challenges. The latest advances in NXP chips have made the application possible in the first place, as the reading and two-way authentication must take place in milliseconds and the reading distance must be reasonably long.
The name VIP stands for Variable Information Printing. The labels can be made in different colors, with graphics or printed safety features according to customer needs. Also the size or shape of the label can be altered as needed.
Bringing crypto mechanism to traffic label can affect many aspects of automatic vehicle identification (AVI) and electronic toll collection (ETC). By pushing the limits of technology a bit further Confidex has potentially changed the way we all drive and pay for road tolls or parking – and much more. Indeed, more and more national operators are shifting towards the batteryless, passive RFID technology because it makes sense both economically and environmentally.