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Korea is a bustling culture that doesn’t like to be halted for inconveniences, which explains why it is often the first nation to come up with some of the most innovative of ideas when it comes to getting things done quickly! Their newest patent involves faster travel time for locals, as bridge toll can now be paid via cell phone.

Known as PassON, LG Telecom’s new service lets drivers breeze through road tolls by using their mobile phones. They even save money, as there is a toll discount for using the service. The downside is PassON is currently only available through LG Telecom, which is Korea’s smallest service provider and other companies are not enthusiastic about the add on.

image courtesy of the Korea Times

Originally designed to be built into a cell phone itself, it was found to be unrealistic from a business standpoint, as the system could either be overwhelmed or lose reception in key areas. Instead, the PassON is a stand-alone unit stuck onto a dashboard. Apart from the cell phone compatibility, PassON is much like California’s FasTrak, which allows commuters to prepay for their bridge tolls electronically and drive through without stopping.

While it has not been proven to be a great idea in congested areas such as a Seoul expressway during the recent Chuseok holiday weekend, the PassON is finding popularity with every day commuters and those traveling the nation's highways on a regular weekend venture.

Source

Tamara Warta
Asian Innovations
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