The gantries installed above the lanes detect and identify your vehicle each time it passes under a free-flow toll gantry, without you having to slow down.
How does the detection of passage under the tollbooth in free-flow mode work?
As soon as your vehicle passes under a toll gantry, the system detects your license plate and collects several essential pieces of information for billing your trip:
- A photo of the vehicle at the time of passage
- License plate reading (front and rear)
- The vehicle category (car, van, motorcycle, etc.)
- The exact time of passage (date and time)
- The detection location on the network
- The vehicle's position on the road
- The direction of travel
This information allows for clear identification of the vehicle and calculation of the fine. toll collection and validation of the distance traveled. They also guarantee the reliability of automated processing in the absence of a physical barrier.
How is the vehicle owner identified?
Once your vehicle is detected, the system uses your license plate number to calculate the toll. There are two scenarios:
- You have an electronic toll collection tag: your tag is detected and your toll is automatically debited from your customer account. This is the simplest and most seamless solution.
- You do not have an electronic toll collection tag: your license plate number is read. If your vehicle is already registered to your Sanef customer account, you will receive a notification. If you have linked your bank card to your customer account, payment will be processed automatically. Otherwise, you have 72 hours to pay your toll, either on sanef.com or at one of the Nirio network's partner tobacconists.
Why is the license plate systematically recorded?
In a free-flow toll system, the vehicle's license plate is an essential identifier. It allows a vehicle's passage to be linked to the system, even without a toll tag. This information is what allows you to track your journey on sanef.com and pay on time.
What happens if the license plate could not be correctly identified?
The free-flow toll system relies on automatic license plate recognition technology.
In the event of an incorrect reading, a second check of the vehicle's passage is carried out by our agents.
What happens if the toll is not paid?
If payment is not made within 72 hours, a non-payment offense is recorded. In accordance with regulations, Sanef's authorized agents can then access the Vehicle Registration System (SIV) to identify the registered owner of the vehicle. A non-payment notice is then sent to the owner's home address, resulting in a fine of up to €375.
Are the free-flow gantries equipped with radar to control vehicle speed?
No, the free-flow gantries only collect data necessary for toll collection. This data cannot be used to penalize other offenses such as speeding or dangerous driving. We do not replace law enforcement.
How are fake license plates detected?
On the motorway, as everywhere else, using a false license plate constitutes fraud and exposes you to penalties.