Testing a National Truck Toll System

Ensuring quality in the customer processes of a nationwide truck toll system

MADIS testers help ensure that registration, payment and contract processes work reliably in the customer management of Germany’s distance-based truck toll system.

Summary

Trucks on German motorways pay a distance-based toll, either automatically through an on-board unit (OBU) or by booking their route in advance. MADIS testers work on the customer management side of the system – registration, payment methods, contracts and invoicing – helping transport companies use the system smoothly as rules and payment methods change.

The client

The client is the company that develops and operates the distance-based toll system for trucks on Germany’s motorways. The system uses satellite positioning instead of toll booths, and control gantries and mobile checks keep non-compliance low.

The challenge

The toll system serves a very large and varied customer base, from single-truck operators to large logistics companies. Customers register their vehicles, choose payment methods, change contracts and receive invoices, while the rules keep evolving: tolls now apply to trucks above 3.5 tonnes instead of 7.5 tonnes, and rates also depend on CO₂ emission class.

Every customer process has to work correctly across web portals, mobile apps, back-office databases and the invoicing system.

• Many scenarios: owner changes, contract takeovers when a company leaves the market, and special cases such as work vehicles.
• Physical devices: on-board units are hardware in the truck that must be restarted, switched on and updated during testing.
• Many channels: web portal, Android and iOS phones and tablets, and back-end systems.

Our approach

Customer management testing

Testing registration (vehicle by vehicle or by spreadsheet upload of up to 150 vehicles), payment method changes, contract changes and the service partner process for on-board units.

End-to-end scenarios

Checking that invoices reach the right vehicle user and the invoicing system, that ownership changes and contract takeovers are actually completed in the system, and that special cases are handled correctly.

Mobile and device testing

Manual testing of the mobile applications on Android and iOS phones and tablets, and testing with on-board units connected to the test system.

The solution

MADIS’s testing work supports the reliable operation of the customer processes of the toll system, including the transition to new payment methods. Earlier, a MADIS colleague also worked on the service desk ticketing system used by the client’s help desk team.

Technologies: GNSS-based tolling · On-board units (OBU) · SAP invoicing · Web and mobile (Android, iOS)

Results

• Reliable customer processes: registration, payment and contract changes are tested end to end before release.
• Support for changing rules: the system can follow changes such as the extension of tolls to lighter trucks and new payment methods.
• Quality across channels: web, mobile and on-board unit scenarios are covered.

Facing a similar challenge?

Need dependable testing for complex, high-volume customer processes? Talk to our software quality team.