Since the opening of the first barrier-free section in Austria in the early 2000s, the free flow toll has gradually established itself as a benchmark on major European roads. By 2025, nearly 14,000 km of toll roads will already be equipped with multi-lane gantries capable of reading a license plate and collecting payment in less than 200 milliseconds. Behind this rise in power: the search for better fluidity, the reduction of emissions due to queues and a political desire to bring service levels closer to Asian and North American standards.
A consolidated regulatory framework
There Directive (EU) 2022/362 was a turning point. It encourages Member States to generalize billing systems based on distance and pollution class rather than time-based stickers. The publication of the implementation guidelines at the end of 2024 reassured private operators by clarifying the obligations of technical interoperability and the protection of personal data.[1]
The flagship projects for 2024-2025
- A13/A14, France: 210 km between Paris and Normandy, first national highway 100 % MLFF, progressive commissioning until summer 2025.[2]
- Autobahn 4, Germany: Conversion of old toll stations into camera-radar/DSRC gantries, budget: €180 million.
- E-Toll 2.0, Poland: Migration from a declarative GPS system to optical reading for 700 km of arteries.
“Free-flow tolling embodies the future of mobility: fluidity, efficiency, and reduced emissions. By removing physical barriers, we optimize users’ time while modernizing infrastructure management.” Romuald CETKOVIC – Customer Relations & Toll Director – SANEF Group
Technical issues
The accuracy of the ANPR now exceeds 98 % on dirty plate thanks to theedge computing and 4K sensors. The discussions mainly concern the European certification of the back-office securityOperators must demonstrate end-to-end encryption and erasure of raw images within 24 hours, except in the event of litigation.
Perspectives
By 2030, the Commission expects 85 % toll kilometers to be equipped with MLFF. The cross-border network with Switzerland and Norway will test the robustness of single settlement agreements. At the same time, public pressure for differentiated pricing based on carbon footprint should push operators to integrate OEM vehicle data upon entry onto the infrastructure.
Conclusion
Europe is accelerating, but the cultural challenge remains: getting people to accept that an invisible toll is not a free toll. Success will require clear communication, transparent billing, and responsive customer service.
Sources :
[1] Directive (EU) 2022/362 of the European Parliament and of the Council, 24 February 2022.
[2] Verra Mobility, “Europe's Evolving Toll Infrastructure”, October 2024.
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