JJ Eden, govt director of North Carolina Turnpike Authority, provides his unique perception into his company’s cutting-edge In-Car Fee Pilot Program, being run in affiliation with Volvo and Mastercard. Right here JJ provides invaluable background into precisely the way it will work and why it’s wanted
In collaboration with Volvo Automobile USA and Mastercard, the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) will start a pilot program on the slicing fringe of transportation know-how. The In-Car Fee Pilot Program will allow enrolled Volvo automobile house owners to hyperlink their automobile’s car identification quantity (VIN) to a fee methodology, permitting automated funds to be processed as quickly because the buyer’s automobile drives via a tolled part of roadway. This revolutionary method could possibly be expanded to incorporate different car unique tools producers and tolling companies sooner or later. In-vehicle fee has the potential to rework how drivers work together with companies like tolling, quick meals, parking, and automobile washes.
JJ Eden
“In-vehicle fee has the potential to rework how drivers work together with companies like tolling, quick meals, parking, and automobile washes”
To start utilizing the in-vehicle fee choice, eligible Volvo prospects will enroll through Volvo’s in-vehicle software on the infotainment and navigation display. Not like conventional methods that depend on license plates, which might be modified, changed, or stolen, the VIN is used as the first car identifier. It’s mechanically populated for the shopper through the enrollment course of, making a safer and environment friendly system.
After the shopper offers their private and car data, they’re directed to a Mastercard-hosted website to enter fee particulars. Mastercard then hyperlinks the car’s VIN to a safe fee token. This token is used for all in-vehicle transactions and helps guarantee compliance with fee card trade requirements for each Volvo and the NCTA. As soon as the fee methodology is verified, a brand new invehicle fee account is created.
When an enrolled buyer drives onto a North Carolina toll facility, Volvo’s GPS know-how detects the car utilizing its geolocation. Volvo collects and processes this information and sends it to the NCTA, the place it’s recorded and saved. Since these in-vehicle transactions don’t initially embrace a toll quantity, the NCTA makes use of present tolling strategies to match license plate transactions with these despatched by Volvo. The toll quantity is then linked to every transaction, and the entire transaction is distributed to Mastercard for fee processing. Any transactions that aren’t authorised or fail at any step are processed utilizing the NCTA’s current strategies.
The In-Car Fee Pilot Program allows extra seamless, real-time toll assortment, permitting prospects to pay mechanically. By linking the VIN to a fee methodology, it reduces processing time, lowers operational prices, and creates a extra handy expertise for drivers, paving the best way for broader use of in-vehicle commerce.
This opinion column was first revealed within the August 2025 version of TTi journal
