Electric barriers grant access by swinging up when activated remotely while electric gates usually slide open or swing on hinges.

Nowadays, most automatic gate systems use motion detectors or optical sensors which allow to detect the motion in front and to trigger its opening and closing.

Automatic barriers are used to block pedestrian or vehicular access through a controlled point. They operate through a variety of different technologies, such as pushbuttons, remote control, loop detectors, any third-party control device and optoelectronic sensors.