This month, Bermuda"s Transport Control Department, a division of the tiny string of island"s Ministry of Tourism, plans an island-wide deployment of electronic vehicle registration made up of RFID tags, antennas, readers and a database system. Over the next five years, the program is expected to generate over $11 million in lost fees from unlicensed and uninsured vehicles.
A unique identification number will be established for each vehicle registered on the island; each number is then linked to a record in a centralized vehicle database. As car owners have their vehicles inspected or registered they will receive a tamper-resistant windshield sticker embedded with an RFID tag which, when read by a specially equipped RFID reader, will send off information in encrypted code to TCD"s database where it is linked to a record in the vehicle database.
The vehicle database itself identifies vehicles, and the EVR system retains only photo images of non-compliant or criminal vehicles. A back-office violation processing system will automatically generate citations, while the EVR system itself will validate commercial vehicle registration and issue violations. Bermuda will also receive a network of fixed reader points that will verify vehicle registration and compliance. In sting-like operations transportable, tripod-mounted readers and handheld readers will be used for screening vehicles at random locations. In addition to tracking down errant registration and vehicle inspections, the system will automate emissions and insurance compliance as well. 3M, which develops vehicle registration systems, is designing and implementing Bermuda"s RFID-based system.