The breadth of RFID applications continues to widen, now spreading into the “next frontier” of automotive electronics. One of the latest innovations comes from STAR Systems International, which recently introduced the ASTRIA RFID Vehicle Decal for automatic vehicle registration and identification applications—a so-called “3rd License Plate.” ASTRIA is based on Alien Technology’s HIGGS chip with its flexible memory architecture.
The decals are able to print and program secure RFID and bar-coded data on-demand using STAR’s printing software and a qualified RFID thermal-transfer printer. End users can generate their own customized registration decals, but all vehicle information is printed and programmed at the point of distribution. Potential applications for the decals are numerous: electronic vehicle registration, electronic toll collection, secure parking and access control, fleet management, and other vehicle-tracking endeavors.
Decals conform to both the ISO 18000-6C and EPC C1G2 standards, and incorporate STAR’s VENUS antenna transponder that’s specifically designed for use on vehicle glass. User memory can be secured via the chip’s read-lock and/or write-lock features to support a variety of models, and the factory-programmed, permanently-locked 64-bit serial number cannot be altered. A combination of a terminal-identification (TID) serial number, electronic-product-code (EPC) data bank, and open-source algorithms helps further enhance security by generating unique access codes for each tag.
Designed to provide reliable readings even in extreme weather environments, the decals incorporate a non-removable, non-transferrable (NRNT)/break-on-removal (BOR) tamper-evident feature.