On April 6, long queues formed at toll booths in Hachioji, western Tokyo, due to a system failure that affected the electronic toll collection (ETC) system. This disruption commenced around 12:30 a.m. and resulted in the closure of 106 toll booths across 17 routes in various regions, including Tokyo and several prefectures such as Kanagawa, Yamanashi, and Aichi.
The operator, Central Nippon Expressway Co., reported that the issues were resolved by 2 p.m. on April 7, after implementing a temporary fix to the ETC system. Currently, efforts are ongoing to develop a more permanent solution to prevent future incidents. The failure is thought to be connected to prior modifications made to the system, which has undergone many upgrades, contributing to the complexity that may have hindered a quicker restoration.
In light of the disruption, drivers were allowed to pass through the affected toll booths without upfront payment, with charges to be billed later. The transport ministry noted a significant increase in ETC usage, jumping from 1.6 percent in 2002 to 95.3 percent this year, showcasing the system's critical role in Japan's transportation network, with approximately 7.74 million drivers utilizing it daily.
6 Comments
Raphael
What were they doing for 36 hours?! This should have been fixed much faster.
Leonardo
This highlights the dangers of relying too much on technology. We need more human oversight.
Michelangelo
The 'prior modifications' excuse is weak. They should have seen this coming with proper planning.
Donatello
They need to invest in a more robust system. This 'temporary fix' is just a band-aid solution.
Raphael
They always make the systems more difficult to fix. A simple system is a reliable system.
Matzomaster
I was stuck in that queue! Waste of time. I lost two hours of work and income for the day.