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Weigh-in-motion technology begins operation in Brazil and expands inspection of loads without stopping vehicles on highways, changing transport dynamics, increasing control over excess weight and impacting safety, operational costs, and logistical flow in federal concessions.
The inspection of excess weight on Brazilian highways has entered a new phase with the operation of weigh-in-motion scales on BRs 364 and 365, in granted sections of Ecovias do Cerrado, introducing a model that directly alters the routine of road transport.
In this scenario, the system uses HS-WIM technology, which stands for High Speed Weigh-in-Motion, capable of measuring the weight of trucks and buses in real time, eliminating the need for stops, detours to side stations, or sudden speed reductions during the journey.
How weigh-in-motion works on highways
Traditionally, weight control required drivers to leave the main flow to access fixed scales installed at the roadside, which created queues, operational delays, and changes in the pace of travel in different monitored sections.
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With the new logic, monitoring occurs directly on the road, through sensors installed in the pavement and cameras positioned on gantries, which record license plates, vehicle categories, and axle numbers without interfering with driving.
Moreover, the adoption of this model received official support on August 1, 2024, when Inmetro published Ordinance No. 402/2024 and approved three models of automatic weighing instruments for moving road vehicles.
Following this approval, there was a metrological release of the equipment and a pathway opened for ANTT to incorporate the technology into new concession contracts, as well as foresee its inclusion in existing contract renewal processes.
Start of inspection with fines on BRs 364 and 365
Although the regulatory advancement represents an important milestone, the practical change gained momentum a few months later when the technology began to be effectively used for inspection with the application of penalties on monitored federal highways.
It was on December 2, 2024, that ANTT, in conjunction with Ecovias do Cerrado, began operations with enforcement and fines for commercial vehicles caught with excess weight at strategic points on BRs 365 and 364.
However, before this stage, the system underwent a testing period within the regulatory sandbox coordinated by ANTT in cooperation with Inmetro, allowing for technical validation under real road traffic conditions.
During this experimental process, which began in 2023, the pioneering installation occurred at km 640 of BR-365, accompanied by technical reports, measurement certificates, and periodic evaluations that supported the definitive approval of the model.
Impacts on transport and road logistics
Unlike the conventional model, HS-WIM was developed to operate in free flow, significantly expanding the reach of enforcement without directly interfering with drivers’ movement along the granted highways.
According to information from Inmetro and ANTT, the system was designed to monitor 100% of the vehicles passing through the monitored points, 24 hours a day, increasing accuracy in identifying axle overload and total weight.
In this context, the impact of the technology is not limited to enforcement, as the elimination of mandatory stops tends to reduce travel time, prevent the formation of queues, and decrease speed fluctuations along the route.
At the same time, regulatory bodies highlight the expectation of a reduction in accidents, a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions, and less pavement wear, factors directly associated with stricter control of excess load.
Another relevant effect appears in the field of competition among transporters, as continuous enforcement increases the risk of penalties for those operating outside legal limits, reducing undue competitive advantages in the sector.
Initial data reveals high rate of excess weight
Initial data released by ANTT helps to quantify the problem faced by Brazilian highways regarding transportation with overload, especially in logistics corridors with high traffic of heavy vehicles.
At the start of enforcement with fines, the agency reported that the equipment installed in Uberlândia had measured 102,000 vehicles since the experimental phase, identifying more than 13% of them with excess weight.
This percentage reinforces the relevance of a system that operates continuously, expanding monitoring capacity and reducing dependence on limited sampling characteristic of the traditional model of road inspection.
With the definitive start of operations, the project continued to advance institutionally, consolidating the technology as part of the regulatory strategy for modernizing inspection in federal concessions.
In August 2025, ANTT announced the end of the regulatory sandbox and declared that HS-WIM was ready for implementation in road concession contracts, in addition to initiating discussions for including the solution in existing concessions.
Observing this recent history, it is clear that the intelligent scale has ceased to be merely an experimental initiative and has become an effective inspection tool on Brazilian highways.
Thus, with weighing conducted at the speed of the road, the operational logic aligns with other already established automated systems, allowing greater control over excess load without interrupting the flow of vehicles.
The trend indicated by regulatory bodies points to a gradual advancement of technology in concessions managed by ANTT, respecting the necessary technical, contractual, and operational stages for each highway.
In this new scenario, the scale ceases to occupy just a lateral physical space and becomes integrated into the very structure of the highway, functioning continuously, automatically, and aligned with the real dynamics of cargo transportation.
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