Overview
ISO 17573-3:2023 - Electronic fee collection (EFC) - System architecture for vehicle-related tolling - Part 3: Data dictionary defines the syntax and semantics of data objects used in electronic fee collection. The document specifies ASN.1-based data types and semantic assignments in accordance with ISO/IEC 8824-1 (Abstract Syntax Notation One - ASN.1). It provides a standardized data dictionary for EFC messages and structures - enabling consistent encoding, interpretation and exchange of tolling data across devices and systems.
Keywords: ISO 17573-3, electronic fee collection, EFC, data dictionary, ASN.1, vehicle-related tolling, interoperability, OBU, roadside equipment.
Key technical topics and requirements
- ASN.1 type definitions: Formal ASN.1 declarations for EFC data objects (syntax and semantic assignment) to ensure machine-readable, unambiguous data structures.
- Common EFC data objects: Standardized types for accounts, equipment identifiers (e.g., OBU and ICC IDs), receipts, tariffs, time/date formats, geolocation (2D/3D positions), vehicle characteristics (axles, weights, emissions, classes), and session/payment metadata.
- Single- and multi-level types: Definitions covering simple subtypes, single-level composites (e.g., AbsolutePosition2d, EngineDetails), and two-level structures (e.g., ContractValidity, ChargeObjectId).
- Interoperability focus: Semantic consistency across equipment, back-office systems and service providers for cross-domain message exchange.
- Scope boundary: Concentrates on EFC-specific data types; explicitly excludes primary definitions for adjacent domains (e.g., C-ITS, banking/financial protocols).
Practical applications
- Toll system design and integration: Use the data dictionary to design interoperable on-board units (OBUs), roadside units and back-office interfaces that encode/decode tolling messages consistently.
- Vendor communication and procurement: Reference for technical specifications in contracts to ensure device and software compatibility.
- Implementation and testing: Basis for conformance tests, message validators and interoperability test suites that rely on ASN.1 encodings.
- Cross-border and multi-operator tolling: Harmonizes data semantics to simplify roaming and shared clearing across jurisdictions and operators.
- Data mapping and migration: A canonical source when mapping legacy formats or integrating third‑party systems into EFC infrastructures.
Who should use this standard
- Toll system architects and engineers
- OBU and roadside equipment manufacturers
- Back-office and clearing system developers
- Test laboratories and certification bodies
- Policy makers and procurement teams specifying interoperability requirements
Related standards
- ISO/IEC 8824-1 (ASN.1 syntax) - normative reference for the encoding technique.
- Other parts of the ISO 17573 series (system architecture for vehicle-related tolling) - for architecture and functional requirements that complement this data dictionary.
This standardized ASN.1 data dictionary (ISO 17573-3:2023) is essential for reliable, interoperable electronic fee collection and vehicle-related tolling implementations.