KUALA LUMPUR, 10 January 2026 — PLUS Malaysia Berhad has rolled out Malaysia’s first Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) open-payment tolling pilot, allowing selected motorists to use any toll lane without being restricted to specific payment lanes along the North–South Expressway.
In a statement, PLUS said the pilot applies to private vehicles travelling along the 87.7-kilometre Hutan Kampung–Sungai Dua stretch of the expressway.
The initiative currently covers nine toll plazas: Hutan Kampung, Alor Setar Utara, Alor Setar Selatan, Pendang, Gurun, Sungai Petani Utara, Sungai Petani Selatan, Bertam and Sungai Dua.
Under the pilot, registered users are given what PLUS terms “lane freedom”, enabling them to enter and exit through any toll lane at participating plazas.
PLUS said the first phase of the rollout is expected to ease congestion at toll plazas and reduce unsafe last-minute lane changes by motorists.
How the system works
The ANPR system uses cameras installed at toll plazas to capture vehicle number plates, with toll charges automatically processed via a mobile-based payment platform linked to the user’s chosen payment method.
According to PLUS, the technology is supported by artificial intelligence and machine learning, enabling it to recognise vehicles under varying conditions such as rain, different speeds, angles and non-standard number plates, with accuracy improving over time.
To participate, motorists must download the JustGO Malaysia mobile application, register their vehicles and link a preferred payment method, such as a debit or credit card.
PLUS said no additional devices are required and there is no upfront cost for users. Additional payment options, including e-wallets and online banking, are expected to be introduced in the coming months.
The company added that the JustGO Malaysia app is designed as an open-payment digital platform intended to be co-owned by the highway industry, in line with the government’s aim of offering more flexible toll payment options. The app also features e-invoicing functionality.
Existing toll payment methods, including Touch ‘n Go cards, SmartTAG and RFID, will continue to be accepted alongside the ANPR system.
Trial results and safety measures
Testing of the ANPR system has been underway since September 2024, with PLUS saying trial results showed faster vehicle detection compared with existing tolling systems, due to wider camera coverage at toll plazas.
The trials were conducted in collaboration with the Malaysian Highway Authority and other highway concessionaires.
As the pilot progresses, physical barriers will remain in place at toll plazas. Motorists using ANPR lanes are advised to slow down and maintain speeds of between 20km/h and 25km/h, without stopping, when passing through the tolls.
