RFID tags from UPM Raflatac streamline ferry traffic to Hailuoto

UPM Raflatac is supplying passive UHF RFID tags to the Finnish Road Administration’s vehicle identification pilot for car ferry traffic to and from Hailuoto island in the northern Baltic Sea, Finland. The pilot aims to ensure a smooth passage for all travellers, but especially for professional traffic and local residents. Before the pilot, misuse of a priority driving lane was a continual hindrance to these two groups. 

In the Hailuoto area, a licence with an embedded RFID tag has been sent to all drivers entitled to use the priority lane to the ferry. When boarding the ferry, drivers hold the RFID licence to the side windows of their vehicles, and the system automatically identifies appropriate licences and grants access. Readers can identify RFID-tagged licences through a window even from a distance of several metres. As a result, access control to the ferry has significantly improved.

The automated access control used in Hailuoto is based on a standard passive Gen 2 UHF system with DogBone tags from UPM Raflatac. The readers are connected to a server program via a mobile network (GPRS). Administrators can follow and control the ferry traffic in real time and from any location with a web browser. The complete RFID solution has been developed by Vilant Systems.

Thanks to encapsulation, the year-round RFID solution endures challenging outdoor conditions like rain and frost – an essential requirement due to Hailuoto’s location. UPM Raflatac’s DogBone inlay was selected for the pilot based on reliable performance and an excellent read range.

“UHF RFID technology offers an automated, reliable and robust means for personnel and vehicle tracking. The pilot uses cost-effective passive RFID tags in vehicle identification, and is thus a remarkable opening even on the larger scale,” says Jari Ovaskainen, Business Development Director, UPM Raflatac, RFID. The Finnish Road Administration’s RFID pilot began in June 2008.

For further information, please contact:
Mr Jari Ovaskainen, Business Development Director, RFID, UPM Raflatac, tel. +358 40 353 2880

About Vilant Systems
Founded in 2002, Vilant Systems is one of the leading suppliers of RFID applications in Europe. Vilant Systems provides end-to-end RFID systems including software, hardware and services. Vilant RFID solutions automate processes in the application areas of supply chain management, asset management and logistics. Vilant Server and Client software are successfully implemented globally in multiple production use RFID systems with customers such as Nokia and ABB. Vilant has RFID installations in 15 countries on 4 continents. Further information is available at www.vilant.com.

About Finnish Road Administration
Finnish Road Administration is responsible for Finland’s highway network. It plans, maintains and develops transport system to provide smooth, safe and environmentally friendly road connections. The length of highways is approximately 78.000 km. Further information is available at www.tiehallinto.fi.