Partner News: Switzerland's latest on-board unit project enters test phase

Date: 02 November 2007

New Swiss mileage-related heavy vehicle charge units undergo component testing.

The project CH-OBU-2, which started in 2003 and aims to replace the current mileage-related heavy vehicle charge on-board units in Switzerland, has moved into the test phase.

Initial situation
The current mileage-related heavy vehicle charge on-board units (TRIPON) were pro-duced by the Fela/Ascom Consortium in 2000. Since then most of these have been in-stalled in commercial vehicles. They reliably record the mileage and other information for the purposes of the mileage-related heavy vehicle charge survey.

Due to the limited life span of the on-board units the CH-OBU-2 project was started. Awarded to Siemens Switzerland, the contract, within the scope of a GATT/WTO ten-der, called for the introduction of new on-board units from 2008 on.

Along with the new on-board units (emotach), the contract volume also includes a new start-up and maintenance software including hardware for this software (laptops and connection testers) in the mileage-related heavy vehicle charge assembly points, in addition to analysis software (expert system) and the software for electronic transmis-sion of the declaration data of the operator (operator software).

Current project status
The design phase for all components was successfully concluded. The specifications were in part drawn up and defined jointly. The goal was, in contrast to the current system, to incorporate improvements, to simplify and to eliminate existing faults. The contract was given to a "general contractor" with the goal of having the interfaces sup-plied by the same company.

The first new on-board units were supplied punctually on 14 September 2007. Thereby the first series of tests (component tests) were started punctually. Now all components will be individually tested successively up to the end of December 2007. The tests will primarily be conducted by Siemens itself. The Directorate General of Customs will monitor individual tests independently.

The tests will be carried out on a disused airfield in Interlaken. The Directorate Gen-eral of Customs was able to set up a test facility here for the radio interface (DSRC). In this test facility are set up all the beacons utilised in the mileage-related heavy vehicle charge system and can thus be tested away from free-flowing traffic.

Integration test
The initial chain of tests will probably begin in January 2008. Then all individual com-ponents will be joined together and entire operational procedures will be tested. Preparations are already underway so that this series of tests can be started on time. It is also planned to install the first appliances in vehicles which will be operating in real-life situations.

Field test
Provided that all the components tested positive in the integration test, in June 2008 a big field test with approximately 800 vehicles will be carried out. To this end, the TRI-PON (CH-OBU-1) will be removed and replaced by the emotach (CH-OBU-2). It should be noted that the on-board unit swap will occur under the present system, this opera-tion is similar to an open heart surgery because current operation and collection of data in the mileage-related heavy vehicle charge system must be guaranteed at all times.

Outlook
The project is currently running according to schedule. Deadlines are tight and the test stages are quite short. Due to the fact that numerous interfaces are involved, coordi-nation between those involved is essential. The close cooperation of all participants should allow CH-OBU-2 to be introduced on time.

For all users of the system (drivers, operators, assembly point personnel) little will change with the introduction of the new on-board unit. The working procedures will only undergo slight changes which should be interpreted as improvements.

For further information, please visit the ERTICO - ITS Europe Partner Swiss Federal Customs Administration website at www.ezv.admin.ch