Background
The study is an industry research project for the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation in Mexico conducted to understand the issues facing the road toll system in the country, assess it through a digital experience design perspective, and work on a possible proposal for an enhanced user experience solution.
Methodology
Findings
The research and analysis reviewed other road toll technologies worldwide to identify critical areas that can be improved in the Mexican
road system. After reviewing several technologies applied in different regions, it was concluded that a pure cashless system would not be
ideal for Mexico because of socioeconomic circumstances. Due to society's requirements, Mexico needs a hybrid technology that allows
the drivers to use both cash and cashless systems.
road system. After reviewing several technologies applied in different regions, it was concluded that a pure cashless system would not be
ideal for Mexico because of socioeconomic circumstances. Due to society's requirements, Mexico needs a hybrid technology that allows
the drivers to use both cash and cashless systems.
Mexico currently uses a hybrid technology, which proved to be sufficient; however, the research data analysis led to the identification of
various predicaments throughout the touchpoints of the current Mexican road toll system. The problems ranged from safety, fraud,
inefficient tag top-up solutions to a lack of motorist engagement and interest in using other than cash lanes. Lack of engagement is linked
to natural human behaviour where users are tempted to use the easy path when given options with more complex and effort
requiring solutions, such as the tolls in Mexico.
The research conducted also identified that many motorists ideally prefer using automated road toll lanes; however, they face an inefficient
tag top-up solution leading them to choose the manual cash lanes, hence increasing cash use at booths. Many motorists do ideally prefer
using automated lanes due to safety, efficiency and constant vehicular circulation. A significant reason for the current inefficient solution is
the lack of sufficient end-user consideration in the initial planning of the system.
Motorists using cash at booths increases, among other things, the chance of Covid-19 or other illnesses exposure, theft, the risk of putting
human life in jeopardy, and loss of time. Cash used at booths also decreases the traceability of money and increases the risk of corruption.
It can be concluded that the problems are linked to cash used at booths and lack of driver's engagement with the electronics system.
Despite such conclusions, the research had to focus on one part of the findings: how cash use could be reduced. The reason for focusing
on reducing cash is that testing safety and fraud is a variable beyond the testing capability of this project. Based on the data collected and
analysed, a hypothesis was raised.
Idea Wireframes & Flow
Concept & Usability Testing
In order to ensure an optimised outcome, the prototype's desirability, feasibility, and viability were tested in an agile way. Results were assessed and changes were made after the tests, leading to the final result.
