SmartTAG (

acronym An acronym is a type of abbreviation consisting of a phrase whose only pronounced elements are the initial letters or initial sounds of words inside that phrase. Acronyms are often spelled with the initial Letter (alphabet), letter of each wor ...

in Malay for Sistem Membayar Automatik Rangkaian Tol or "Toll Network Automatic Payment Systems") is an on-board unit (OBU) vehicle-based device used as an

electronic toll collection Electronic toll collection (ETC) is a wireless system to automatically collect the usage fee or Road pricing, toll charged to vehicles using toll roads, HOV lanes, toll bridges, and toll tunnels. It is a faster alternative which is replacing Tol ...

(ETC) system over long distances (maximum 15 metres) to complement

Touch 'n Go Touch 'n Go is a contactless smart card system used for digital currency, electronic payments in Malaysia. The system was introduced in 1997 and is widely used for toll payments on Malaysian Expressway System, highways, public transportation, ...

, a card-based system. It was first introduced in Malaysia in 1999 and is also used as an Entrance Access Security.

Features

SmartTAG was designed, developed and manufactured by Teras Teknologi Sdn Bhd as an extension of the

system, initially as a replacement of PLUS TAG. It is being marketed by Touch 'n Go Sdn Bhd ''(formerly Rangkaian Segar Sdn Bhd)''. The intellectual property rights to the SmartTAG belongs to an Austrian company known as EFKON Gmbh. The president of EFKON, Dr Helmut Rieder, was the one who set up a joint venture with UEM to form Infrared Advance Technology Sdn Bhd (IRAT). The SmartTAG is currently priced at RM130 per unit inclusive of free Touch 'n Go card with RM10 reload value. This is a subsidised price as UEM has to pay royalty to EFKON for each SmartTag assembled by IRAT. Built on a non-stop Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) philosophy, SmartTAG incorporated

infra-red Infrared (IR; sometimes called infrared light) is electromagnetic radiation (EMR) with wavelengths longer than that of visible light but shorter than microwaves. The infrared spectral band begins with the waves that are just longer than those of ...

communication that communicated with infra-red transceivers mounted at the ceilings of toll plazas to allow vehicle drivers to drive through SmartTAG dedicated lanes and pay toll without stopping. It is designed to process up to 1,200 vehicles per hour.

History

Prior to the introduction of SmartTAG, several different types of non-stop ETC were already being used in Malaysia: *PLUS TAG for all PLUS (Projek Lebuhraya Utara Selatan) expressways in

Klang Valley Klang Valley () is an urban agglomeration in Malaysia that is centered in the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, and including their adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. It is the urban area of the much larger Ku ...

1994–1999 *Express TAG for Shah Alam Expressway 1996–2004 *FasTrak for

Damansara–Puchong Expressway The Damansara–Puchong Expressway (Malay language, Malay: ''Lebuhraya Damansara–Puchong'') , abbreviated as LDP, is a major controlled-access highway in the Petaling District of Selangor, Malaysia. The expressway runs in a north–south direc ...

and

Sprint Expressway SPRINT Expressway (Malay language, Malay: ''Sistem Penyuraian Trafik Kuala Lumpur Barat'', English: System of Traffic Dispersal in Western Kuala Lumpur) is the main expressway network in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The expressway is divided into thr ...

1999–2004 *Saga Tag for Cheras–Kajang Expressway 1999–2004 SmartTAG was officially launched on 15 March 1999, phasing out PLUS TAG at over 20 plazas of Projek Lebuhraya Utara-Selatan (PLUS) / North–South Expressway. In December 2003, Minister of Works, Datuk Seri S Samy Vellu directed the implementation of a single ETC nationwide as a form of standardisation and convenience of use for road users. The directive requires all major toll operators in Malaysia to have a minimum of 2 Touch 'n Go and 1 SmartTAG lanes per direction at every plaza. The directive was gradually implemented by all major toll operators on 1 July 2004 and marked the cessation of other types of non-stop ETCs in Malaysia. In 2004, SmartTAG expanded as entrance access security for residential areas. It was first (currently only) deployed at Ledang Heights Bungalow Park, in

Iskandar Puteri Iskandar Puteri (formerly known as Nusajaya) is a Cities of Malaysia, city and the administrative capital of the state of Johor, Malaysia. It is situated along the Straits of Johor at the southern end of the Malay Peninsula and the southernmos ...

Johor Johor, also spelled Johore,'' is a States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. It borders with Pahang, Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the north. Johor has maritime borders with Singapore ...

. On 8 August 2018,

discontinued the sales of SmartTAG in favor of

RFID Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. An RFID system consists of a tiny radio transponder called a tag, a radio receiver, and a transmitter. When tri ...

-based Touch 'n Go eWallet which started its testing phase on the following month. However, LokaTAG, another authorized aftermarket SmartTAG manufacturer will provide an alternative device that will serves as drop-in replacement for SmartTAG. Unlike SmartTAG, it does not run on battery as it is powered from

automobile auxiliary power outlet An automobile auxiliary power outlet (also known as car cigarette lighter or auxiliary power outlet) in an automobile was initially designed to power an electrically heated cigarette lighter,LifeWire.com article''“From Car Cigarette Lighte ...

instead.

Usage of SmartTAG

EPS Coverage

SmartTAG lanes are available at most expressway toll plazas.

Entrance access security

To diversify the usages of SmartTAG and to attract further subscription of SmartTAG, Teras Teknologi with co-operation from Nusajaya Land Sdn Bhd, developer of

implemented a secure Entrance Access Security for Ledang Heights Bungalow Park. Touted as the

Beverly Hills Beverly Hills is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. A notable and historic suburb of Los Angeles, it is located just southwest of the Hollywood Hills, approximately northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Beverly Hil ...

, Ledang Heights consists of 571

bungalow A bungalow is a small house or cottage that is typically single or one and a half storey, if a smaller upper storey exists it is frequently set in the roof and Roof window, windows that come out from the roof, and may be surrounded by wide ve ...

lots situated off the expressway to Singapore, North–South Expressway Central Link (NSECL/ELITE) and within six kilometres from the Sultan Abu Bakar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex. SmartTAG offer both security and convenience. Security is provided by two layers of electronic recognition required to access the perimeter; a SmartTAG unit and an assigned smartcard registered to the security department. These units have to be detected simultaneously on authorised vehicles to gain entry into Ledang Heights. SmartTAG and card assigned can also be used in all highways that adopt SmartTAG as an EPS. Plans are underway for further adaptations of SmartTAG in other prestigious housing developments.

References

External links

Touch 'n Go

Teras Teknologi Sdn Bhd
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125224837/http://www.terasworld.com/ , date=25 November 2017 – website of developer, manufacturer of SmartTAG.
Nusajaya
– developer of Iskandar Puteri 1999 establishments in Malaysia Electronic toll collection Road transport in Malaysia