ST Engineering launches gateless hands-free rail fare collection system

Passengers will only need a wristband or key tag to enter the fare passageway.

ST Engineering launched the hands-free Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system which will allow commuter verification in fare gates in less than a second, an announcement revealed.

“Global rail operators are intensifying efforts to enhance passenger experience whilst having to ensure that train operations and infrastructures stay secure, reliable, as well as easily maintained,” ST Engineering president of electronics Ravinder Singh said.

With AFC, passengers will not need to tap their face cards as the systems adopted advanced technologies including long-range radio-frequency identification (RFID), facial recognition and stereoscopic people-counting camera technologies.

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In addition, the enhanced AFC system incorporated heightened security features for enforcement action against errant commuters and activities such as tailgating and payment evasion as it will be lighted up in green or red to indicate valid and invalid access, respectively.

To access the gateless service, commuters need to have an account with their photo taken at the Interactive Traveller Terminal (ITT), their issued RFID card, wristband, or key tag to enter the fare passageway.

In Taiwan, the firm won a contract for Taipei MRT Xinyi Line Eastern Extension, as well as its Passenger Information System for the Wuhan Metro Line.