NLEX Corp., a unit of Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC), said it is investing approximately P1.4 billion to modernize and enhance technology across its expressway network in preparation for full cashless toll transactions.
“By benchmarking its technologies against those used in other countries, we aim to provide greater accessibility and convenience to all motorists at NLEX, SCTEX, and NLEX Connector,” NLEX Corp. Officer-in-Charge and Chief Finance Officer Maria Theresa Wells said in a statement on Wednesday.
The investment will fund the installation of automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) cameras across 315 toll lanes, NLEX said.
Currently, only 77 lanes are equipped with ALPR technology, which captures license plate data at barrierless plazas and tracks vehicles without radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags or those with insufficient balance.
This initiative follows the Toll Regulatory Board’s (TRB) announcement that cashless toll collection will be implemented starting March 15.
The TRB said motorists without RFID tags will still be allowed to enter toll plazas, where RFID tags will be installed upon entry.
Additionally, NLEX said its investment will finance the upgrade of 127 RFID antennas to high-frequency antennas, ensuring more efficient readability of RFID stickers.
“These antennas will extend the read range of RFID stickers and detect up to three vehicles in advance, expediting toll lane transactions,” NLEX said.
The toll operator aims to achieve a 98% RFID readability rate, ensuring accurate vehicle detection at toll lanes.
MPTC is the tollways unit of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), one of the three key Philippine subsidiaries of Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd., alongside Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.
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