Client:
Trafikverket (Swedish Transport Administration) and Transportstyrelsen (Swedish Transport Agency)
Scope:
Development, delivery, replacement, and 10 years of technical operation of the Gothenburg Multi-Lane Free-Flow (MLFF) congestion charging system, including the modernization of 91charging and control points across the city and Back-Office (BO) system.
Solutions:
Multi-Lane Free-Flow (MLFF) congestion charging system based on the Kapsch VDX2i all-in-one sensor platform, providing highly accurate vehicle detection, classification, and license plate recognition with full system redundancy. Back-Office (BO) system serving as data hub for processing and forwarding passage data to the Swedish Transport Agency.
As one of the world's largest urban congestion charging systems, Gothenburg's system plays a critical role in managing traffic flows and financing transport infrastructure. The Gothenburg congestion tax was introduced on January 1, 2013 and the system processes approximately 150 million taxed vehicle passages annually and generates around EUR 100 million in revenue each year.
"Kapsch's delivery largely meets our set expectations, and their ability to handle a complicated exchange of technology in a congestion tax system during the short tax-free periods that were available was impressive.”
Björn Carselid, Coordinator UHvätb, Trafikverket
150 million
taxed vehicle passages processed annually
supporting reliable and accurate congestion charging operations.
~ 100 million
annual revenue enabled,
helping finance critical transport infrastructure investments across Gothenburg.
10 years
of 24/7/365 technical operation
providing long-term service continuity and operational stability.
91
charging and control points modernized across the city
ensuring complete operational coverage of all tolled passages.
138
lanes covered across Gothenburg.
100%
coverage of tolled passages
following successful rollout and Site Acceptance Testing completed in March 2025.
Challenges
Seamless Replacement Without Service Disruption
Maintaining uninterrupted service while replacing roadside infrastructure from multiple technology providers required careful planning, extensive testing, and seamless coordination. Installation during nontaxable time periods and readiness for operation ahead of the start of the next taxable time period, e.g. during one night.
Project Scope
Modernizing a Critical Urban Mobility System
The project included the replacement of existing roadside equipment from two different technology providers while maintaining service continuity for one of Europe's largest urban road charging programs. The modernization program covered development, installation, commissioning, testing, and long-term technical operations. Extensive FAT, SAT, and OAT validation phases ensured a smooth transition to the new platform without disrupting revenue collection or traffic management at any time.
Solution
Reliable Congestion Charging for a Complex Urban Environment
The solution is a true Multi-Lane Free-Flow (MLFF) charging system designed specifically for dense urban traffic conditions (pedestrians, bicycles, roundabouts, tramways, stop-and-go, traffic lights, bridges, tunnels). The platform accurately detects and classifies vehicles in both directions of travel while capturing front and rear license plate images.
- Key solution components include:
- VDX2i all-in-one sensor technology
- Stereoscopic vehicle detection and classification
- Front and rear license plate recognition
- Active-active system redundancy
- Parallel data collection for maximum availability
- Long-term technical operation and maintenance services
This architecture ensures continuous performance even in the event of individual sensor failures, supporting highly reliable citywide congestion charging operations.
Impact
Reduced Congestion
The congestion charging system incentivizes better traffic distribution and supports smoother traffic flow throughout Gothenburg and improves the environmental conditions.
System efficiency and performance
The modernized infrastructure, with its redundancy, often exceeds the customer's specified requirements and operational reliability standards.
Sustainable infrastructure funding
By enabling approximately EUR 100 million in annual revenue collection, the system continues to provide an important funding mechanism for transport infrastructure improvements across the city.
Future-ready urban mobility platform
The upgraded solution ensures Gothenburg can continue operating one of the world's most advanced congestion charging schemes while supporting future mobility and transport objectives.
