Installation of next-gen ERP on-board units to start in Nov

3 pieces in each unit, but vehicle owners can opt not to install touchscreen display

- Lee Nian Tjoe

On-board units for a satellite based Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system will be installed in vehicles in phases from Nov 1 this year, and the exercise is expected to be concluded by the end of 2025.

In all, nearly one million vehicles will be fitted with new on-board units (OBU), starting in November with about 20,000 fleet vehicles those registered to a company or organisation with 20 or more vehicles. This group includes public buses, fleet motorcycles and taxis, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on Monday.

The devices will be installed on new vehicles from the first quarter of 2024, while all other vehicles will have their existing in-vehicle units replaced in batches, based on the vehicle's age.

In a nod to feedback from the public that the OBU is too bulky, the LTA said motorists can opt out of installing the touchscreen display and get key information via mobile apps on their smartphones instead.

The new OBU has three pieces a processing unit located on the side of the front passenger footwell, an antenna and a touchscreen display mounted on the windscreen. Motorcycles will have a single-piece unit mounted on the handlebar.

Vehicle owners will be notified by LTA when it is their turn to install the OBU, with instructions on how to book an appointment.