Skip to main content

German companies collaborate on electronic vehicle identification

German internet of things (IoT) provider Kathrein has agreed a global collaboration on electronic vehicle identification with Tönnjes EAST, a German licence plate manufacturer. Both companies have been working together on the development of new technologies using Kathrein’s expertise in RFID technology combined with Tönnjes EAST’s experience in the integration of transponders into vehicle licence plates or windscreens. Their joint portfolio includes Kathrein’s latest RFID reader, the RRU4500, which h
September 13, 2017 Read time: 2 mins
German internet of things (IoT) provider Kathrein has agreed a global collaboration on electronic vehicle identification with Tönnjes EAST, a German licence plate manufacturer.


Both companies have been working together on the development of new technologies using Kathrein’s expertise in RFID technology combined with Tönnjes EAST’s experience in the integration of transponders into vehicle licence plates or windscreens.

Their joint portfolio includes Kathrein’s latest RFID reader, the RRU4500, which has a read range of up to 20 metres and enables the reliable identification of vehicles in free-flow motorway traffic up to a maximum speed of 250 km/h.

Tönnjes uses RFID technology in two systems, the IDePLATE, a vehicle licence plate with an integrated RFID chip and the IDeSTIX, a windscreen sticker containing a data chip with an encrypted ID number.

In order to ensure the IT security of the transponder data, the two companies use UCODE DNA, the latest generation of high security transponders from NXP Semiconductors. The decryption takes place directly between the transponders and the Kathrein readers. These are a new kind of combined RFID reader-writer and IoT gateway, which means that the data can be loaded directly into a Cloud and used from there.

The partners offer a turn-key solution, which includes implementing the technology on motorways, in low emission zones and toll roads, as well as establishing and operating central database solutions for authorities and providers.

Related Content

  • Europe's electronic toll service closer to operational reality
    November 7, 2012
    After much debate and delay, a unifying European Electronic Toll Service is now finally on the horizon, says ASFiNAG’s Klaus Schierhackl. Here, he talks with Jason Barnes about what that might mean. Aworkable European Electronic Toll Service (EETS) which will allow truck drivers to travel across the continent and pay tolls using a single account and OnBoard Unit (OBU) was originally timetabled to be in place and operating by October of this year. A lack of urgency from some of the stakeholders involved in t
  • Upgrade for Queensland motorways
    July 11, 2016
    Australian road operator Transurban Queensland has awarded Kapsch TrafficCom subsidiary Kapsch TrafficCom Australia the contract for a new project to fully replace the existing road tolling system for the Gateway and Logan Motorways in Queensland. The scope of the project comprises supply of a new tolling system with 14 tolling points, and is valued at over US$10.5 million (14 million AUD). Kapsch will deliver its latest tolling technology based on the company’s single gantry multi-lane free-flow (MLF
  • Whoosh! from Parkeon
    April 26, 2013
    Parking and payment solutions provider Parkeon has launched its mobile phone parking payment service Whoosh! The solution has recently gone live in an off-street scheme for parking operator, Horizon Parking, in Glasgow. According to Parkeon, a major advantage for operators is that financial and management data generated by Whoosh! can be integrated with all other parking payment channels on its Parkeon Parkfolio centralised management systems. “Whoosh! completes our portfolio of payment methods, which also
  • Jenoptik wins big in Singapore
    May 19, 2014
    Jenoptik’s Traffic Solutions division has received a major order from Singapore’s NCS Communications Engineering. The company will install its latest TraffiStar SR520 red light enforcement systems for the Singapore Police Force at 240 locations in the south-east Asia city. The order also includes the supply of Jenoptik’s TraffiDesk pro back office software for efficient and secure incident processing and adjudication. Deliveries will take place within the second half of 2014. The TraffiStar SR520 stat