A fleet running transit through several EU countries eventually runs into the same question: which OBU device to choose so you are not juggling several boxes on the windscreen and several invoices at the end of the month. In 2026 the EETS market for a transport fleet from Poland comes down in practice to four realistic options: OMV SmartPass, Eurowag EVA, DKV BOX Europe, and UTA One next.
Below you will find an honest comparison of these four devices: country coverage, billing model, support in Poland, fuel integration, and total cost of ownership. At the end we also show how to switch from Eurowag or DKV to OMV SmartPass without downtime, in case that option works best for your PL, CEE transit fleet.
What is an OBU and the EETS system?
OBU (on-board unit) is a small on-board device mounted on a truck’s windscreen that automatically settles tolls while driving. EETS (European Electronic Toll Service) is an EU-wide service through which a single provider handles toll settlement across multiple countries under one contract, instead of signing a separate agreement with every national road operator.
How does an OBU work in practice?
The device combines two technologies: GNSS (GPS/Galileo) to locate the vehicle on the toll network map, and GSM to send trip data to the provider’s billing centre. Some systems (for example in France and Italy on classic barrier-based motorways) additionally use short-range DSRC, radio communication with a gantry at the toll point.
This means the driver does not stop at a barrier, does not buy a paper vignette, and does not log the trip manually. The device recognises on its own which section of the toll network it is on and charges the fee according to the rate that applies to the vehicle’s mass, axle count, and emission class.
EETS versus national systems: vignettes, e-TOLL, viaTOLL
National systems (such as Poland’s e-TOLL, Hungary’s HU-GO, or the Czech myto) are local GNSS solutions run by the country’s administration or its operator. An EETS provider signs a separate interoperability agreement with each of these systems and adds that country as another “toll domain” to your single device.
viaTOLL is history by now: the system was phased out in Poland in 2021 in favour of e-TOLL, but the name still comes up in conversations with drivers used to the old term. Vignettes (such as the Eurovignette in Luxembourg or Sweden for vehicles above 12 t) are a completely different mechanism: a time-based fee bought in advance, independent of mileage, and requiring no device in the cab.
The practical difference for a dispatcher: EETS means one device and one invoice for many countries with distance-based tolls, national systems without interoperability require separate registration or a device for each country, and vignettes simply need to be remembered and bought before entry.
When is an OBU mandatory for trucks and vans?
Countries with mandatory electronic systems for vehicles above 3.5 tonnes
The table below shows the countries where vehicles above 3.5 tonnes must have active electronic settlement (an OBU or GNSS system registration), regardless of which EETS provider you choose.
| Country | National system | Technology | Weight threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poland | e-TOLL | GNSS | above 3.5 t |
| Germany | Toll Collect | GNSS/DSRC | above 3.5 t |
| Austria | ASFINAG GO-Maut | DSRC/GNSS | above 3.5 t |
| Czech Republic | Myto CZ | GNSS | above 3.5 t |
| Slovakia | Myto system SK | GNSS | above 3.5 t |
| Hungary | HU-GO | GNSS | above 3.5 t |
| Belgium | Viapass | GNSS | above 3.5 t |
| France | toll motorways (barriers) | DSRC | depends on axle category |
| Bulgaria | electronic vignette/toll | GNSS | above 3.5 t |
| Croatia, Slovenia | toll/e-vinjeta | DSRC/GNSS | depends on the route |
| Netherlands | HGVC (from 1 July 2026) | GNSS | N2/N3 above 3500 kg TPMA |
| Switzerland | LSVA | GNSS/tachograph | above 3.5 t |
We covered the details of the new HGVC system step by step in our article on road toll changes in the Netherlands, including the full rate and penalty tables.
Vans up to 3.5 tonnes: when OBU/EETS makes sense
Vans up to 3.5 tonnes in most of the listed countries are not subject to the mandatory electronic toll for heavy vehicles. They run on vignettes for light vehicles (for example in Austria, the Czech Republic, or Slovakia) or, in some countries, without any road charge at all.
OBU/EETS starts to make sense for a delivery fleet in three situations: when a vehicle is upgraded to a category above 3.5 tonnes (for example a switch to a bigger model), for regular international routes with multiple border crossings a day, and when a company runs a mixed fleet (trucks and vans) and wants to consolidate billing under one provider.
It is worth remembering that tonnage changes go hand in hand with tachograph obligations: from July 2026 the Mobility Package extends the tachograph installation requirement to international vans from 2.5 tonnes. Details and practical tips for delivery fleets are in our guide to tachographs for vans.
Penalties for an unregistered trip or a non-working OBU
The consequences of driving without an active OBU are severe regardless of the country, though they differ in form and amount. In Germany, checks are carried out by the BAG (Bundesamt fur Guterverkehr), and an unregistered trip means a substitute toll charge plus an administrative fine. In Austria, ASFINAG applies the so-called Ersatzmaut, a substitute toll several times higher than the base rate, plus a separate fine.
In the Czech Republic and Slovakia, checks are run by the local toll administration, and fines are set in Czech crowns or euros depending on the nature of the violation. In the Netherlands, from 1 July 2026 the starting rates are EUR 400 for no contract with a service provider and EUR 250 for a switched-off or faulty device, jumping to double those amounts from 2027.
The common denominator across all countries: a non-working OBU is treated the same as non-payment of the toll, regardless of whether the vehicle actually drove on a paid section. The mere fact of a switched-off device in a country with a mandatory system is enough to trigger a penalty.
OMV SmartPass vs Eurowag vs DKV vs UTA: comparison table
Comparison criteria
Comparing four EETS devices only makes sense when you look at the same criteria for every provider: countries covered, the number of invoices (one consolidated document or several), support in Poland (language, response time), fuel card integration, the cost model (subscription, activation fee, device deposit), and the time needed to activate a new country or the whole device.
Countries and network coverage: table
| Country | OMV SmartPass | Eurowag EVA | DKV BOX Europe | UTA One next |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austria (AT) | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Belgium (BE) | yes (+ Liefkenshoek tunnel) | yes | yes (+ Liefkenshoek tunnel) | yes (+ Liefkenshoek tunnel) |
| Czech Republic (CZ) | yes | yes | yes (from autumn 2025) | yes (from December 2025) |
| Germany (DE) | yes | yes | yes (+ Warnow, Herrentunnel tunnels) | yes |
| Denmark (DK) | yes (KmToll + Storebaelt, Oresund bridges) | Storebaelt/Oresund bridges only | Storebaelt/Oresund bridges only | yes (bridges and ferries) |
| Spain (ES) | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| France (FR) | yes (card integration) | partially (additional Axxes tag) | yes | yes |
| Hungary (HU) | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Italy (IT) | yes (card integration) | partially (additional Axxes tag) | yes | yes (+ Caronte ferry) |
| Luxembourg (LU) | Eurovignette, no OBU required | Eurovignette, no OBU required | Eurovignette, no OBU required | Eurovignette, no OBU required |
| Netherlands (NL) | yes (HGVC from 1 July 2026) | yes (from May 2026) | yes (from 1 July 2026, excluding Blankenburg tunnel) | yes (configured for launch 1 July 2026) |
| Poland (PL) | yes (e-TOLL) | yes (e-TOLL) | yes (e-TOLL) | yes (e-TOLL, including A4 Katowice-Krakow) |
| Portugal (PT) | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Sweden (SE) | yes (Oresund bridge) | yes (Oresund bridge) | yes (Oresund bridge) | yes (bridges and ferries) |
| Slovakia (SK) | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Switzerland (CH) | yes | yes (from 2025) | yes | yes (including Liechtenstein) |
Important methodological note: EETS coverage changes every few months (new countries, new updates mid-year). The table above reflects the situation in mid-2026 based on providers’ official materials. Before signing a contract always verify the current country list on the portal of your chosen operator, since each of them reserves the right to keep expanding coverage in its terms.
The total reach of OMV SmartPass is 19 European countries in one device, covering the whole PL, CEE corridor plus Western Europe, Southern Europe, and Scandinavia. This is the widest coverage among the compared solutions, together with UTA One next (18 countries, with the Netherlands as the 19th being rolled out).
Tunnels, bridges, and ferries: what to watch out for
Beyond the motorway network, special toll assets matter too. The Liefkenshoek tunnel in Belgium is covered by all four providers as part of the main device. The Warnow and Herrentunnel tunnels in Germany and the Storebaelt and Oresund bridges in Scandinavia are included by most operators, though not always to the same extent.
One exception worth watching: the Blankenburg tunnel in the Netherlands has a separate toll system (EUR 9.49 per passage for vehicles above 3500 kg), and with some providers (for example DKV) it is settled with a separate payment card, not the OBU itself. Before planning a route through this section, check whether your provider covers it under the main contract or requires separate registration.
Billing model and number of invoices
This is where the differences between providers are the biggest. OMV SmartPass settles tolls and fuel on a single, consolidated OMV Card invoice, broken down by country and service in one accounting document.
Eurowag consolidates toll, fuel, and part of its fleet services in the Eurowag Office platform, but historically operated as several separate product lines (fuel, toll, tax refund), and full billing integration of toll with all services was still being rolled out in mid-2026.
DKV BOX Europe runs on an agreement with an external technical operator, Toll4Europe GmbH, which follows directly from the device’s commercial terms. This means an extra layer of intermediary in the contractual relationship: the box contract expires automatically together with the agreement between the customer and Toll4Europe, independent of the main contract with DKV.
UTA One next works in a similar mobility-intermediary model (Edenred), with a single UTA Card invoice for the end customer, but with technical operators behind the scenes for individual toll domains, just like other providers that do not own fuel infrastructure themselves.
Practical takeaway: the more parties in the billing chain (card provider, EETS operator, local toll collector), the more places where a complaint or an invoice correction can get stuck. The OMV model, built on its own station network and a single commercial relationship, shortens that chain.
Support and service in Poland
Large European providers (Eurowag, DKV, UTA) have multilingual support teams covering the CEE region, but contact usually goes through a call centre or a self-service portal, with account managers rotating.
OMV SmartPass through ONYX means a dedicated fleet manager who speaks Polish, with no need to go through a multi-tier helpdesk in another language. For a complaint, a device block, or a question about a new toll domain, you contact the same person who has known your fleet from day one.
Integration with the fuel card and fleet ecosystem
For a PL, CEE transit fleet, the real time (and money) savings appear when tolls, fuel, and telematics live in one ecosystem instead of three separate login systems. OMV SmartPass is natively linked to the OMV fuel card, meaning one invoice for litres and trips, and to the ONYX telematics ecosystem, where OBU status, active toll domains, and fuelling history are visible in one fleet panel.
Eurowag, DKV, and UTA also offer their own telematics modules (Eurowag Office, DKV Fleet, UTA SmartConnect), but in practice combining fuel, tolls, and TMS with one partner requires using their entire product ecosystem, not just the box itself. If a company already fuels on an OMV card, adding SmartPass does not create a new commercial relationship, it simply extends the existing one.
TCO: subscription, activation fee, deposit, penalties, driver time at barriers
The total cost of ownership of an OBU consists of a few elements regardless of the provider: an activation fee per country or domain, a refundable deposit for the device itself (the box is usually leased, not owned), a possible service subscription, and the cost of driver time lost at barriers without EETS.
With most intermediaries (Eurowag, DKV, UTA) the contract usually includes an activation fee per country or domain and a refundable equipment deposit, sometimes independent of fuel or toll usage. In the ONYX offer, the SmartPass device is tied to the commercial relationship around the OMV Card, and pricing terms (deposit, activation fee) are set individually based on volume and the number of activation countries, without a one-size-fits-all subscription for every fleet.
The easiest TCO element to calculate is driver time at barriers. With several border crossings a day and a few dozen seconds of waiting at a barrier (where the system still requires stopping), the monthly time loss translates into a real operating cost that EETS simply removes.
Which OBU is best for a Polish transport fleet?
For a fleet in transit through Poland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, the device with full CEE coverage and one invoice with fuel comes out on top: today that criterion is best met by OMV SmartPass. For a fleet operating mainly in Western Europe (France, Italy, the Alps), it is worth considering a supplement with a solution specialised in barrier-based DSRC systems, covered in more detail in the next section.
Other players in the EETS market: Shell Toll4Europe, Telepass, and Axxes
Shell Toll4Europe
Shell Toll4Europe (the company already mentioned earlier as the technical operator behind part of DKV’s billing) also operates as a standalone brand for Shell card customers. Country coverage is similar to the competition in the CEE region, but commercial presence and support in Poland are noticeably smaller than with providers holding a strong position on the Polish market. For a company already using a Shell fuel card in Western Europe, it is a sensible complementary option, though less often chosen as the main toll solution by Polish carriers.
Telepass / Axxes
Telepass (Italy) and Axxes (France) specialise in barrier-based DSRC systems on French and Italian motorways and in Alpine tunnels. Where large CEE networks (OMV, Eurowag, DKV, UTA) treat France and Italy as an add-on to their main coverage, Telepass and Axxes build their offering specifically around these markets, with very good acceptance at barriers and in Alpine tunnels.
For a fleet regularly running the France, Italy, Alps route, this is a solid, proven solution. As a single device for the whole of Europe, including the CEE corridor, it fares worse: coverage in Poland, the Czech Republic, or Hungary is limited or requires additional partner agreements, recreating the exact problem EETS was meant to solve.
Which fleets is OMV SmartPass the best choice for?
PL, CEE fleets (transit through AT/DE/CZ/SK/HU)
Transport companies operating on the classic Poland, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary corridor gain the most: full coverage of these countries in one device, with no need to add a box for occasional runs to France or Italy.
Companies already using an OMV fuel card
If a fleet already fuels on an OMV fuel card, adding SmartPass does not require a new commercial relationship, it simply extends the existing contract to cover toll settlement on the same consolidated invoice. This is the cleanest case of synergy: one provider, one invoice, one account manager.
Small/medium fleets vs large international fleets
For a small or medium fleet (a handful to a dozen or so vehicles), simplicity is key: no redundant admin, one point of contact for all toll and fuel matters. For a large international fleet there is also the question of managing a mixed fleet (different masses, emission classes, destination countries) through a fleet panel with real-time status for every device, which OMV SmartPass provides through the client portal.
How to switch from Eurowag or DKV to OMV SmartPass without double charges?
What to do with the old OBU
Most EETS providers lease the device rather than sell it outright. Before ordering SmartPass, check two things in your contract with Eurowag or DKV: the notice period (typically 1 to 3 months depending on the operator) and the device return procedure (address, packaging, proof of receipt). Failing to formally return the device results in a deposit charge or a continuing subscription fee until the contract is formally closed.
Step-by-step switching timeline
- Submit notice to your current provider, respecting the contractual notice period, before ordering the new device.
- Order SmartPass through ONYX, declaring the same activation countries as in the old contract, so you do not lose billing continuity.
- Wait for the new device to be activated and confirm the working toll domains in the portal.
- Switch on the new box and switch off the old one on the same day, ideally at the home depot, not on the road.
- Return the old device following your previous provider’s procedure, keeping proof of dispatch or receipt.
- Check your first invoice from the new system for correctly charged countries and rates.
How to avoid double charges during the transition
The key to avoiding double billing is never having two active devices in the same vehicle at the same time while driving. Both boxes will detect the same trip and both will bill for it if both are switched on. Plan the swap for a day when the vehicle is parked at the depot, not on an international route, and keep documentation confirming the exact moment the old device was switched off and the new one switched on, in case of an invoice dispute.
Common mistakes when migrating between EETS providers
The most common problems when switching EETS provider are: ordering the new device before submitting notice to the old one (which extends the double-subscription period), swapping the box on the road instead of at the depot (risk of a billing gap at the border), no confirmation of the old device’s return (a deposit charged for months after the relationship ends), and activating a different set of countries in the new system than actually needed, which only comes to light on the first trip to a country missing from the configuration.
How to order and install SmartPass through ONYX
Ordering process
The order starts with contacting ONYX and sharing basic fleet data: number of vehicles, their category (mass, axle count, emission class), and the countries the fleet actually operates in. If a company does not yet have an OMV fuel card, the process also includes standard company verification (registration data, creditworthiness for deferred payment terms).
Installation and activation
The device arrives at the fleet with toll domains pre-configured for the declared countries. Windscreen mounting is simple and does not require specialist service, and activating individual countries is done remotely, with no device swap needed when adding a new route in the future.
Turnaround time and first steps after activation
The standard time from application to a working device is a few days to about two weeks, depending on the number of vehicles and activation countries. After activation, check in the fleet panel that all declared toll domains show as active before sending a vehicle on its first international trip with the new device.
Summary
Choosing an OBU for EETS tolls comes down in practice to three questions: which countries the fleet actually covers, how many invoices and providers you want to deal with at the end of the month, and whether tolls should be managed separately from fuel or in one ecosystem.
For a fleet in transit through Poland, Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary, especially if the company already uses an OMV fuel card, OMV SmartPass through ONYX wins on all three fronts: full CEE coverage across 19 countries, one invoice for fuel and tolls, and a dedicated account manager who speaks Polish with no multi-tier helpdesk.
If you currently use Eurowag or DKV and are considering a change, the migration timeline described above lets you switch to a new device without double charges and without fleet downtime at the border. Contact ONYX, describe your fleet profile, and see how much you can realistically save on a single invoice for tolls and fuel. More on the product itself is on the ONYX road tolls page.
If you run both domestic and international routes, it is also worth checking which charges are settled through EETS and which through the local national system: the differences and tools for both transport models are covered in our article on domestic vs international transport in 2026. An earlier comparison of the OMV, DKV, and Shell fuel cards on a specific transit route is in our guide to refuelling in the Czech Republic.
Bibliography and sources
| Source | Description | URL |
|---|---|---|
| OMV | Official SmartPass product page (EETS) | omv.com |
| OMV | Overview of OMV toll services by country | omv.com |
| Eurowag | Toll solution for fleets, EVA OBU | eurowag.com |
| Eurowag | EVA OBU expands coverage to the Netherlands (press release) | eurowag.com |
| Eurowag | FY2025 results report (EETS coverage, licences) | investors.eurowag.com |
| DKV Mobility | DKV BOX Europe: country coverage and EETS terms | dkv-mobility.com |
| DKV Mobility | Special terms for EETS devices (Toll4Europe GmbH) | dkv-mobility.com |
| DKV Mobility | Netherlands tolls: DKV BOX Europe coverage and the Blankenburg tunnel | dkv-mobility.com |
| UTA Edenred | UTA One next: 18-country coverage, Czech Republic activation | web.uta.com |
| UTA Edenred | Overview of UTA OBU/toll box devices | web.uta.com |
| Rijksoverheid | HGVC system in the Netherlands from 1 July 2026 | rijksoverheid.nl |
