In the past decade and during a severe economic crisis, Greece has managed to complete its first major motorway network, amounting to approximately 2,100 km, creating a solid basis for the development of road transport, with an impact both for the country itself and the Balkans, according to ypodomes.com.
After this development, the Greek motorways, as the cornerstone of the coutry’s infrastructure, are now challenged to move to the next stage and align with the ‘new generation’ of motorways, by incorporating smart technologies and advanced methods that have been launched and applied in major countries around the world.
It is a «new generation» of infrastructure with a more anhropocentric approach that uses the most advanced transport systems (Advanced Transport Systems) and Artificial Intelligence, in order to offer personalized services to the user in real time.
The benefits are significant as they upgrade all road safety, infrastructure management and maintenance levels to an efficient and sustainable cost-benefit ratio. Such practices have already taken place in various European countries (e.g. England, the Netherlands, etc.) and the question now posed is, what is the next day of the ‘new generation’ of Greek motorways as well as the means that will lead us there.
Interoperability in Greece, now a reality
One of the first, major developments recorded is the deal between all motorways’ management companies, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport to make interoperability a reality. It is reminded that the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Mr. Kostas Karamanlis, in a recent speech, commenting on the subject, announced that drivers will soon be able to cross all motorways of the country, with one receiver.
This first measure eliminates the multiple machines that create a confusion while driving on the Greek motorway network. For example, a driver who begins from Athens to Thessaloniki will go through 4 different motorway companies and will need three different machines. With the application of interoperability, it will be made possible to every vehicle using a single receiver, to use it throughout the journey.
A mobile app to ‘unlock’ electronic tolls
One of the top companies, on a global level in the field of smart mobility services, IBI Group, which is also an active player in our country, is once again presenting an innovative service that could be described as the dawn of a new ‘smart mobility and interaction era’ between users and operators of the Greek motorways.
This is a location-based application delivering real-time information, offering interactive maps specially designed for safe in-motion use (trip planning services) including weather and traffic incidents. It also includes features such as emergency calls and a range of feeds-based information, designed to position the motorway user ‘at the heart’ of the trip.
On the other hand, for users with electronic receivers, the application provides multiple management options such as balance updates, billing information and real-time account recharging.
The mobile application takes interoperability to a whole new level having as top priority the security. Just a few months ago we experienced the entrapment of drivers due to heavy snowfall. By using the app (and if drivers have it installed on their smartphones) they would have received an urgent notification informing them of impending adverse weather.
It is also rather important to reduce the installation and operating costs of this particular mobile application. As the head of IBI Group in Greece, Antulio Richetta, says, the estimated amount needed to cover the application nationwide may be significantly reduced compared to the 2018 e-tolling tender, budgeted at 400m euros.
Service to be launched on the first Motorway
This application has already caught the interest of concessionaires with Olympia Motorway pioneering once again with the so-called ‘hybrid’ tolling system, having begun to be implemented it in collaboration with IBI Group.
The app is set to be available for Olympia Motorway users in the Spring of 2020, launching a new «mobile» era on the Greek motorway network.
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Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Dimorsitanos
