HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO DEVELOP AN APP LIKE Smart Salik?
By: Akshay Nanjunda
Tags: Computer, Mobile App Development, Tech, iOS App Development, Android App Develoment

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO DEVELOP AN APP LIKE Smart Salik? Akshay Nanjunda Jan 13·5 min read

Highways across the globe have different methods of collecting tolls for their usage. Manual collection, automatic cash collection and electronic collection are widely used ones. Among these, electronic toll collection is the most advanced method. Especially during the outbreak of coronavirus pandemic, this carries much importance as it involves a contactless process. The government of Dubai, UAE was one of the foremost in the world to introduce an electronic road toll system in 2007 called ‘Salik’.

What is Salik?

Dubai’s Road and Transport Authority (RTA) built Salik as a free-flowing system. It was aimed to avoid stopping vehicles at any point on the Dubai highway and do a manual payment. Because of Salik, there is no toll booth waiting times, barriers and one can just drive through a toll gate without stopping.

Salik promotes automatic transactions with the use of a Salik tag. Your vehicle is detected and the tag is scanned by the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Dh4 is deducted from the prepaid Salik account every time the vehicle passes via toll point. Regardless of the vehicle driver, the money is deducted from the Salik holder account at all the trips.

Salik must be obtained online via www.salik.gov.ae and it will be sent to the buyer’s address. It can also be bought from petrol bunks, Emirates NBD bank or Dubai Islamic bank. According to the RTA, a person is only exempted from toll fees if the vehicle is registered as a military or police vehicle or is an ambulance, school, college, or RTA public bus.

Smart Salik App:

RTA has launched a Smartphone application (Smart SALIK) that lets its users manage their SALIK account and accomplish top-ups, check balance, look at the trips, etc. This app was launched by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai for their plans of Smart City.

Smart Salik app is a mobile app to aid users to pay and manage their Salik account on their smartphones. Smart Salik app makes operations with the Salik account smoother and more convenient. It is a very useful app that records every move and payment operations. The user needs to have a Salik account online, recharge the account using Salik recharge, or a card voucher.

Many advanced features are added to the app that aids the users. Along with the presence of existing features such as checking the balance, recharging the account user can add or remove the vehicles, verify their trips and violations, update or edit the profile and also access general Salik information.

Below are the services provided by the smart Salik app to the users:

Creation of new Salik User that lets the customer manage their Salik account. They could easily create their profile for getting easy access and get all the updates and news about Salik.

• Balance Top Up — recharging a SALIK account employing a Salik recharge card or e-voucher.

• Look for all the violations incurred and fines paid. Users can also lookout or create a violation dispute.

Get push notifications from Salik related to the app u[dates or any latest news regarding the features.

• Look for all the locations of Salik toll gates and customer service stations.

• Call and speak to the Salik for any doubts.

• Answer to all doubts via FAQs, updates, and other announcements.

• Access Salik information such as FAQs, News, and Announcements

Along with all these features, a user can set up online Salik, that lets them access additional services like:

• Recharging a SALIK account via recharge card, e-voucher, or e-Pay.

• Check the violations and unpaid trips.

• Check the trips via SALIK toll gates.

• A complete summary of the particular SALIK account.

• Check out all the vehicles/tags registered with their SALIK account.

• Update their Salik account with a new vehicle/tag.

• Update a registered phone number or add a phone number to their Salik account.

• Lookout and download Salik account reports with details of all trips taken and top-ups done.

Along with all these features, Salik aids with helpful links and guidance on all the app screens. The experience would be similar to the one found on the Salik website.

SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS FOR SOFTWARE IMPLEMENTATION

Android studio and Java are employed for App creation.

The front end of the app is programmed by PHP, XML, and Ajax.

Java is used for logical aspects and in the back-end.

For iOS apps, Swift and XCode are used.

Cost of developing an app like Smart Salik in Dubai:

Many regions across the globe have developed the ETC system and the relative Smart Salik type app. Therefore, if you are planning to develop a smart Salik type app in your region it is of utmost importance to associate with a reliable app development company.

The overall cost may be dependent on the scope of the final product and more importantly on the number and complexity of the features included in the app. Along with these factors, the system size (i.e. number of lanes and toll points), the type of platform on which app will be built, customizable software required, location of the development company will all affect the final cost of the app.

The most complex and advanced features will indeed enhance the quality of the app but they will also have a direct impact on the final product. But is very important to hire an experienced mobile app development company that is well-versed with all the key elements of technology and industry who guide you towards the right path of success.

Bottom line:

Smart Salik mobile app rated among the top 10 best mobile apps in UAE for many years. If you have a solid idea to build a Smart Salik like app in Dubai then you must associate with one of the reliable and experienced mobile app development companies in Dubai, like Brill Mindz.