- System features all-overhead toll collection subsystems, with cutting-edge 3D LiDAR for vehicle detection and classification
- Marks the first at-scale deployment of C-V2X connected-vehicle tolling on a U.S. highway
- Establishes a new standard for compact modern toll collection infrastructure
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Indra Group, a global leader in mobility technologies and air traffic management, today celebrated the official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the I-485 Express Lanes project in North Carolina. This event marks the formal opening of the lanes to motorists and the full-scale launch of Indra’s advanced all-overhead Open Road Tolling system.
Today’s milestone celebrates the full opening of the roadway and represents the official launch of the end-to-end all-overhead Open Road Tolling system into live traffic operations. The system is supplemented by the industry-first combined C-V2X Toll & Safety subsystem delivered in December 2025.
“This is a milestone moment for North Carolina and the tolling industry,” said J.J. Eden, executive director of the North Carolina Turnpike Authority. “The I-485 Express Lanes showcase what is possible when we leverage cutting-edge technology to put the driver’s experience and safety first.”
The I-485 Express Lanes represent a pioneering shift in American transportation infrastructure. Led by Indra in collaboration with the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA), the project moves beyond traditional tolling by integrating cutting-edge perception and communication technologies:
- All-overhead Open Road Tolling: The system eliminates the need for intrusive in-pavement sensors, offering a lightweight, sustainable and maintenance-friendly approach for the NCTA.
- Dual-use 3D LiDAR: The infrastructure uses high-precision 3D LiDAR and artificial-vision to ensure accurate vehicle detection, tracking and classification for tolling purposes. The same 3D LiDAR augments NCTA’s traditional traffic management systems with additional safety and incident monitoring functionalities.
- Operational Back Office with Dynamic Pricing: The system assembles transactions, prices them dynamically based on congestion levels, and sends them to NCTA’s commercial back office.
- Integrated C-V2X Technology: As the first at-scale deployment of its kind in the U.S., the system allows connected vehicles to communicate directly with the roadside for real-time tolling notifications and safety alerts.
“The official launch of the I-485 Express Lanes is a proud moment for us. By integrating all-overhead tolling, 3D LiDAR perception, back-office intelligence and C-V2X for tolling and safety, we are showing what the future of connected mobility looks like today,” said Raúl Ripio, Senior Vice President of Mobility Business at Indra Group.
The implementation of this next-generation system offers significant advantages for both the operator and the driving public:
- Real-Time Traffic and Safety Alerts: Indra’s 3D LiDAR perception system enhances safety by detecting critical roadway events, such as pedestrians or wrong-way vehicles. C-V2X infrastructure provides real-time safety and traffic information to connected vehicles.
- Streamlined Payments: Connected vehicles technology allows for seamless communication between the car and the infrastructure, providing real-time toll data and an additional payment option to drivers.
- National Benchmark: Following the successful delivery in late 2025, the I-485 corridor now serves as a national benchmark for operational V2X tolling on a live highway.
The completion of the I-485 project solidifies Indra’s growing mobility business in North America, adding to a portfolio that includes the I-66 Outside the Beltway project in Virginia, HOV detection systems on the I-95, I-495, I-395 and I-77 Express Lanes, SR400 in Georgia, and other projects in the U.S. and Canada.
About Indra
Indra, one of the most foremost global technology companies, is a world leader in smart mobility, having completed over 2,500 projects in more than 100 cities and 50 countries on the five continents. Over the last 30 years, Indra has provided tolling systems to more than 20+ countries, with over 3,300 lanes in operation and Back Office Systems for toll motorways in 20 countries. One of Indra’s most recent deliveries, I-66 Express Outside the Beltway, an integrated all-overhead tolling, video-occupancy detection, ATMS, and ITS for managed lanes, with C-V2X infrastructure and connected vehicles platform, is considered one-of-a-kind in the United States today. Indra has been awarded with the IBTTA Toll Excellence Award in the Private Sector Innovation in 2024 for this project in Virginia. Indra is part of the Indra Group, a holding company with more than 60,000 employees, local presence in 49 countries and commercial operations in more than 140 countries.
About Indra Group USA
Indra Group USA is the American subsidiary of Indra Group, a global leader in technology and engineering solutions for air traffic control, mobility, defense, and digital transformation. Delivering mission-critical systems that advance the safety, efficiency, and sustainability of transportation and infrastructure across the United States, Indra Group USA is backed by decades of expertise, partnerships and operations in 140 countries. It is helping modernize air traffic control and intelligent transportation and mobility systems to meet the evolving needs of American communities, agencies, and industry partners. Visit www.indragroup-usa.com for more.
Communication Contacts
For Indra
Elsa Jiménez
[email protected]
+34 669 82 93 19
For Indra Group USA
Scott Worden
[email protected]
+1 248-825-9343
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d4e4584e-33a4-43db-aaa6-206e2ce8dfdb