Brussels, 23/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the European Commission decided to undertake an in depth investigation into a proposed joint venture between Daimler Chrysler AG and Deutsche Telekom AG to operate a toll-collecting system for heavy lorries on German motorways. The joint venture will be known as Toll Collect GmbH. Daimler Chrysler and Deutsche Telekom AG will each have a 45% stake, and French motorway operator Cofiroute SA will hold the remaining 10% stake. The three have won a tender organised by the German government for the installation and operation of a toll-collecting system for loaded lorries weighing more than 12 tonnes on German motorways. The joint venture will install the necessary tollgates and controlling bridges and will also be able to offer value-added telematics applications ranging from real time information on traffic flows to navigation guidance and messaging between truck companies and their drivers. After a preliminary review, the Commission considers that the toll-collecting system could become a predominant platform for the provision of telematics services for the transport and logistics sector, particularly given that Daimler Chrysler is already active in the telematics market. Through this deal it might be able to control the access and competition conditions in this emerging market. The Commission has four months in which to carry out a more detailed risk assessment of the impact of the joint venture on competition.