BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 13. Azerbaijan is
working to automate payments on toll roads and introduce new
technological solutions, including the possible use of license
plate recognition to process payments, Deputy General Director of
Azericard Zakir Ahmedov said on Tuesday at the Baku Fintech Sector
Trade Mission Program, Trend’s correspondent reports from the event.
According to Ahmedov, the company is developing various
automated solutions to make payments more convenient and
faster.
“We are currently improving a mechanism that uses cameras to
recognize vehicle license plates on toll roads and process payments
automatically. The camera recognizes the vehicle’s license plate,
and as the vehicle approaches, the barrier opens without the car
having to stop, while the payment is processed automatically. We
are working on developing such a mechanism,” Ahmadov said.
He noted that the main goal of Azericard’s “Tez ödə” (“Pay
fast”) solution is to eliminate the need for customers to take
additional steps when making payments. The approach is also being
applied in parking facilities, gas stations and other service
sectors.
According to Ahmedov, the company began introducing automated
payment technology in 2019 at the parking facility of Heydar Aliyev
International Airport. The system uses a camera to recognize a
vehicle’s license plate and charges the bank card linked to that
plate. As a result, drivers do not need to make a separate payment
when leaving the parking facility.
Another solution under development is payment using facial
recognition technology. The system is being developed in
cooperation with SİMA and has not yet been fully presented to the
public.
“One of the latest innovations is payment through facial
recognition. When a customer makes a purchase, a camera recognizes
their face, the personal identification number (PIN) linked to that
face is transmitted, and the bank card associated with that PIN is
charged. This allows customers to complete payments without taking
out their phone or bank card,” he said.
Ahmedov added that Azericard is also working on enabling
payments through retailers’ loyalty cards.
“This technology could allow customers to pay for purchases
using a bank card linked to their loyalty card, without having to
present a separate bank card,” he said.
He also noted that various technological solutions are being
used to simplify payment processes at ASAN service centers and gas
stations.
Azericard has operated as a processing center in Azerbaijan
since 1997 and currently provides services to 15 banks and fintech
organizations. According to information presented by Ahmedov, the
company processed approximately 1.5 billion transactions last year,
with a total value of around 120 billion.
