Jan 26, 2005This article was originally published by RFID Update.
January 26, 2005—E-ZPass and similar automatic toll payment technology is perhaps the most common consumer-facing application of RFID, and the Washington Post reports that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will implement a similar system at a handful of Canadian and Mexican border crossings later this year. The goal is two-fold: expedite the currently tedious and inefficient process by which pedestrians and vehicles are examined when crossing into the country, and generate more data for the border patrol about their comings and goings. The RFID tag would reside in a government-issued card of some sort, and while it would not allow its owner to pass through a border without stopping, it would automatically and wirelessly transfer data to the border patrol, thereby requiring less personal examination and questioning by the border patrol agent. According to the Post, four locations will be equipped to begin testing the system by July 31st: Nogales, AZ; Alexandria Bay, NY; Pacific Highway, WA; and Peace Arch, WA.
The full story at The Washington Post
