Following a highly competitive tender, Q-Free awarded national contract by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration for vehicle image recognition and review across Norway’s challenging climate and terrain

Q-Free, a global leader in mobility solutions for smart city infrastructure, announced today that it has been chosen by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA) to deploy its Intrada Insight solution across the nation’s tolling network. The system will power NPRA’s nationwide License Plate Recognition Service (LPRS) for AutoPASS — the country’s electronic tolling program.

The multi-year agreement was awarded following a highly competitive tender process that drew bids from leading international providers, reaffirming Q-Free’s long-standing role as a trusted technology partner to NPRA. The new contract covers both automated recognition and manual image review of all toll passage images, processing more than 760 million images and 400 million transactions annually across Norway.

“This project is a powerful endorsement of our technology, people, and commitment to excellence,” said Q-Free CEO Mark Talbot. “Norway’s environmental conditions present some of the harshest operational challenges anywhere in the world — from snow and glare to lengthy periods of darkness — yet our systems continue to deliver exceptional accuracy and reliability.” Q-Free’s technology is currently contracted to maintain a 98 percent automation rate and last month reached an extraordinary 99.29 percent in demanding conditions.

Raising the Global Bar for License Plate Recognition

Norway’s road network stretches from dense urban centers to the Arctic Circle, where snow, fog, and limited daylight demand unparalleled performance from camera and recognition systems. NPRA’s technical specifications are widely regarded as among the most stringent in the world, requiring reliable detection and character recognition in all weather and lighting conditions.

Q-Free’s Intrada Insight will process automated and manual image review data from every toll gantry across the AutoPASS network, translating video-based passages into billable vehicle data.  The system is trained to recognize license plates from across Europe and beyond, easily accommodating Norway’s high volume of international drivers. The system leverages adaptive AI and machine learning to maintain exceptional accuracy while continuously improving performance over time. By achieving one of the highest automation rates in the industry, the system minimizes manual image review and reduces operational costs, while ensuring full compliance with national and EU data security standards, including the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

Continued Partnership Built on Trust and Innovation

The new framework contract extends Q-Free’s relations with NRPA for an initial four-year term with options up to seven years. It represents more than a continuation of service — it’s a benchmark for how data quality and automation can transform national tolling systems. “NPRA consistently challenges the market to innovate,” added Talbot. “Their rigorous procurement and performance requirements raise the bar for the entire industry. We’re proud to help set that bar higher.”