Blasch and Sigma Technology Sdn Bhd director Yap Kiak Wee with the new MaxTAG.
KUALA LUMPUR: The four million users of the SmartTAG cashless toll card system will not be left to fend for themselves. They will continue to receive sales and service support from EFKON Asia Sdn Bhd, the Austrian technology provider of the system.
Touch ‘n Go Sdn Bhd had recently announced that it would stop selling SmartTAG devices through its channels.
By October, EFKON Asia plans to have in place a nationwide sales and service network to ensure wider availability of the infra-red TAG device.
Such a device will in future be available under various brands which are compatible with the current Malaysian toll system. MaxTAG by Sigma Technology Sdn Bhd is already on sale on the e-commerce platform, www.lazada.com.my.
Malaysia is currently trialing the RFID system, which is said to be superior to an infra-red system and will be deployed next year.
EFKON said its product has been built into several new car models by major car makers in the country at a rate of hundreds of thousands of units a year.
The TAG, which is made in Malaysia, is also exported to Vietnam and Indonesia.
Developed in 1997 and rolled out across the country in 2005, the infra-red toll collection system was developed by local companies together with EFKON.
According to EFKON Asia director Helmuth Blasch, the company’s infra-red toll collection is also suited for multi-lane traffic free flow.
“In Germany, a similar Infra-Red System has proven to be effective and reliable in multi-lane traffic free flow environment for speeds above 120kph.
"We have also successfully replicated this test in Malaysia. In contrast to simple solutions, the Infra-Red DSRC (Dedicated Short-Range Communication) System also provides high security and protection from cloning the TAG for misuse."
