RFID tagging solutions from NXP are set to drive the next generation of innovation in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Smart City Challenge. The U.S. DOT announced this week that NXP RFID tags will enable automatic vehicle identification and more streamlined traffic and toll payments, while smart card ICs will facilitate and secure e-Government services.

Pittsburgh, Portland, Austin, Tex., Columbus, Ohio, Denver, Kansas City and San Francisco have been chosen as finalists in the Smart City Challenge. The winning city will receive a $40 million grant to become the country’s first city to fully integrate innovative technologies – self-driving cars, connected vehicles, and smart sensors – into their transportation network.

To date, the NXP contribution to the Smart City Challenge has included vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2X) technology; long-range, secure and private RFID tagging for automatic vehicle identification and road safety systems; and smart card ICs to enable secure admission to transportation, access control, retail and other municipal services.

NXP’s innovations in contactless technology will help the winning city to provide convenient multi-modal transportation services beyond common public transport including bike sharing, car sharing, e-charging and parking. A single secure credential — a MIFARE card, a wristband, a smart e-ID a wristband or a mobile phone – can allow citizens to use multiple services. The reader infrastructure can handle all that and enable smart cities to further enhance their service offering through a multi-application platform.

Secure long-range RFID tags integrated in license plates make automatic vehicle identification easier for governments and road users. Cars do not need to stop to pay tolls, they don’t even need to slow down. Also road safety systems profit from this secure long-range solution.