Taiwan’s electronic toll collection system was honored for advancing cutting-edge smart transportation technologies by the Washington, D.C.-headquartered International Road Federation at the 2016 Global Road Achievement Awards Oct. 18 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Developed by Taipei City-based Far Eastern Electronic Toll Collection Co. Ltd., ETC won the Traffic Management and Intelligent Transportation Systems prize, with IRF President and CEO Patrick Sankey describing it as a “pioneering system” that has set a new bar in free-flow toll collection.

Taiwan became the first country in the world to fully convert to free-flow tolling on all of its national freeways in 2013, as well as the first to install universal distance-based pay-as-you-go tolling the following year.

According to Far Eastern Group Chairman Douglas Hsu, the system has helped the government achieve financial sustainability in road management, highlighting the potential of public-private partnerships.

Read the full story at taiwantoday.tw.