The AP-7 introduces a system that detects offences without stopping vehicles

The network includes eight control points located at former toll booths on the motorway. From these now repurposed sites, it is possible to check in real time if a heavy vehicle is on the road without insurance, with an expired ITV, or overloaded.

The main innovation is that checks are carried out without requiring vehicles to stop. This allows irregularities to be detected without causing additional hold-ups or interrupting the flow of traffic, which is especially important on a road where any incident can lead to queues stretching for several kilometres.

The system is already operating at some points on the AP-7 and will gradually become a standard tool for monitoring professional transport. For car drivers, the effect may be less visible but still significant: fewer heavy vehicles in poor condition means less shared risk on the road.

The measure mainly affects lorries and buses, two types of vehicle that have a direct impact on safety when they are on the road with technical problems, irregular documentation or excessive loads. An expired ITV, no insurance or overloading are not just formalities: they can affect braking, stability and the ability to respond to the unexpected.

The AP-7 handles a very high volume of goods and passenger transport every day. Since the end of tolls, the motorway has seen even more traffic, becoming a key corridor connecting Barcelona, Tarragona, Girona, the Mediterranean coast and the French border.

This increase in traffic has made it necessary to find faster and less invasive ways to monitor vehicles. Stopping lorries one by one can be effective, but it also causes delays, diversions and complications. With this smart network, monitoring is integrated into the infrastructure itself.

The system also allows authorities to act more selectively. Instead of random checks or mass stops, the data helps identify specific vehicles that may be breaking the rules and need closer inspection.

For professional transport, the message is clear: driving on the AP-7 will become increasingly difficult if basic safety requirements are not met. Technology reduces the chances of vehicles without proper documentation or overloaded vehicles going unnoticed.

The motorway is thus entering a new phase after the end of toll barriers. The old payment points are now being put to a different use: not to stop traffic, but to monitor it more effectively. On a busy road like the AP-7, this difference can be seen in safety, traffic flow and the way increasingly intense mobility is managed.