Indra awarded a contract in North Carolina, U.S. to implement an advanced tolling system with 3D LiDAR and AI technologies, in partnership with Parsons
- After pre-qualifying for a five-year framework agreement, North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) has awarded Indra the initial Task Order #1 to equip I-485 Express Lanes with a dynamically priced open road tolling system
- Indra’s solution incorporates the latest digital technologies to facilitate new advanced mobility policies to improve travel time reliability and traffic flow, reduce congestion and emissions, guarantee operability for the customer and ensure excellent services for motorists
- Successful implementation of this advanced tolling technology project in North Carolina, and the partnership with Parsons Corporation (NYSE: PSN), will position Indra to participate in numerous future system projects initiated by public transportation agencies in the United States
Indra, one of the leading global technology and consulting companies, has been awarded a contract by the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) to implement its state-of-the-art tolling technology. More specifically, Indra will equip I-485 Express Lanes with a dynamically priced open road tolling system that will help improve traffic flow in the corridor. The project includes tolling and ITS system maintenance over a five-year base-contract period with optional extensions.
Indra won this contract after pre-qualifying for a framework agreement in an open competition with major national and international integrators. Partnership with Parsons, a leading international technology, engineering and consultancy firm, and Indra’s innovative technologies, such as 3D light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and artificial intelligence (AI), have been key to this award.
Indra’s cloud-based tolling solution is one of the most pioneering and effective products currently on the market. For the I-485 Express Lanes, the system will enable the application of dynamic pricing in separated lanes based on real-time traffic density data. If the road is heavily congested, the price will adjust to regulate the number of users in the Express Lanes, minimizing traffic intensity and improving travel times.
Indra’s solution incorporates the latest digital technologies to facilitate advanced mobility policies which reduce congestion and emissions, promote operability for the customer and ensure excellent service for motorists.
Raúl Ripio, Indra’s general mobility manager, emphasized: “Indra’s continuous commitment to technological improvements and innovation has been crucial in winning this important contract in North Carolina, reinforcing Indra’s mobility business in the United States and is a unique landmark as we address the numerous opportunities provided by the country’s public transportation bodies.”
“Parsons is proud to partner with Indra and NCTA to deliver cutting-edge tolling technology for the I-485 Express Lanes,” said Robert Suess, senior vice president and general manager, Intelligent Infrastructure business unit for Parsons. “Our team is committed to providing exceptional design, engineering, and operations support that will enhance NCTA’s toll collection system and ensure reliable and efficient services for motorists.”
Technology to enhance the sustainability of infrastructure
Indra will equip ten (10) Express Lane gantries on I-485, allowing vehicles to be tolled at highway speeds. This is an industry-leading all-overhead solution, where equipment is installed on gantry structures, without intrusive elements in pavement. The lane system relies on 3D LiDAR technology, video analytics and AI. Indra has successfully implemented this kind of system on I-66 Outside the Beltway in Virginia and in the El Melon tunnel in Chile. The solution will also include a central operational system to facilitate transaction management and operations and integrate AI algorithms. Parsons will assume responsibility for engineering design, installation, quality control, as well as share responsibility for system maintenance.
Thanks to the application of 3D LiDAR technologies, vehicle classification and tracking data will be collected in real-time with a high degree of accuracy. AI will perform accurate reading and comprehensive analytics and coordinate with the other subsystems. Indra’s solution will continually improve its performance by “training” through deep learning as more and more data is captured during the operations and maintenance period.
This technology will also lead to a reduction in equipment, resulting in a lighter solution at a lower cost for the customer in terms of implementation, maintenance, and energy savings. Cloud infrastructure will facilitate operations and provide the scalability and flexibility to adapt to changes the customer may require in the future.
Indra already has a presence in the U.S. mobility business, having recently put into operation one of the most advanced highways in the country, I-66 Outside the Beltway, with open-road overhead tolling systems, automatic detection of high occupancy vehicles (HOVs), LiDAR and video AI technologies and connected vehicles. Indra has also implemented HOV systems on I-95, I-495 and I-395 in Northern Virginia.
