PLUS Malaysia Berhad (PLUS) has recently kicked off a pilot project for Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) open payment tolling on the North-South Expressway (NSE). The initiative, which the highway concessionaire describes as offering “lane freedom”, represents an early but significant move towards the eventual rollout of Multi Lane Fast Flow (MLFF) tolling in Malaysia.
Under the pilot, registered users are no longer restricted to specific toll lanes and may enter or exit through any lane at selected plazas. The trial covers nine toll plazas along the Hutan Kampung–Sungai Dua stretch, namely Hutan Kampung, Alor Setar Utara, Alor Setar Selatan, Pendang, Gurun, Sungai Petani Utara, Sungai Petani Selatan, Bertam, and Sungai Dua. Spanning 87.7 kilometres, this first phase aims to ease congestion at toll plazas while reducing the risk of unsafe last-minute lane changes.
The system relies on ANPR cameras installed at toll plazas to capture vehicle number plates, with toll charges processed automatically through a mobile-based payment platform. According to PLUS, it is powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning, which can recognise vehicles across varying conditions such as weather changes, different speeds, viewing angles, and even non-standard licence plates. The company adds that the system continues to improve its accuracy as it processes more data over time.
PLUS says it has been testing the ANPR system since September 2024 in collaboration with the Malaysian Highway Authority (MHA) and other highway concessionaires. It added that test results show faster vehicle detection compared to existing tolling systems, largely due to the cameras’ wider coverage at toll plazas. The company notes that as the pilot continues, physical barriers will remain in place, and drivers are advised to maintain speeds of between 20 and 25 km/h when passing through toll plazas without stopping.
How To Participate
PLUS says the public are able to participate as part of this pilot by following these steps. First, users need to download the JustGO Malaysia mobile app (only available on iOS and Android, however), register their vehicles, and link a preferred payment method such as a debit or credit card.
Once set up, drivers can use the highway as usual without installing additional devices or paying any upfront fees. Apart from cards, the company plans to expand payment options on JustGO Malaysia to include e-wallets and online banking in the coming months, aligning with the Government’s goal of offering more flexible toll payment choices. Existing toll payment methods, including Touch ‘n Go cards, SmartTAG, and RFID, will remain available alongside the new system.
The app also supports e-invoicing, adding another layer of convenience for users who require digital records. PLUS positions JustGO Malaysia as an open payment digital platform intended to be co-owned by the highway industry.
(Source: PLUS Malaysia press release / JustGO Malaysia [official website])
