Photos: Germany's road charging tech

All lorries on German roads over 12 tonnes must pay. Most are fitted with terminals. An infrared beacon (pictured) atop the BAG vans can check against these terminals. Or checks take place against numerous gantries running over the motorway system.

Lorries from outside the country can apply for the same terminals (fitted in a few hours at certified garages) or buy temporary passes at roadside outlets or over the internet. The authorities then check a number plate against the database of those who have paid.

A GPS signal from each vehicle is mapped onto each terminal. Roadside technology uses the GSM infrastructure to convey information such as distance travelled back to central computers.

Photo credit: Tony Hallett