Free In-Vehicle Reader Swop For S’pore Vehicles In Preparation For Satellite ERP Next Year

If you ask Singaporean drivers for a list of things they detest about Singapore roads, you can bet that ERP is definitely on the list.

ERP, an abbreviation for Every day Rob People Electronic Road Pricing, is an infamous electronic toll system used in Singapore as one of the measures to manage traffic flow.

I’m sure most of us should be familiar with this. Known as an in-vehicle unit (IU), it is meant for the insertion of a CashCard to allow for seamless and wireless electronic payments for ERP and carpark gantries.

No, not this IU. I wish I had this IU in my car as well.

You would have used the IU yourself if you’re a driver, or have at least seen your Papa use it as he fetched you around.

Well, at this time next year, you could be familiarising yourself with a whole new device.

New On-Board Units To Replace IUs

Here are some concept photos of the new On-Board Units (OBUs) found online.

If you ask me, it looks a bit like a taxi fare meter lah.

But how it looks shouldn’t matter. What’s more, the installation of the OBUs to replace IUs will be completely free.

Also, it has a bunch of new nifty functions. LTA has stated that the new OBUs will provide “value-added services that bring greater convenience to motorists”.

Provision of real-time traffic information feed.

All new roadside electronic parking system (EPS).

Information display for motorists.

New Satellite-Based ERP System

You might be thinking, why so mafan?

Sure, all these new stuff is cool and useful, but why?

Well, LTA will be introducing a new Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)-based ERP system, which is projected to be operational progressively from 2020 onward.

The new ERP system will also be distance-based, which means it will detect your distance travelled on congested roads and charge accordingly.

In the near future during the transition period, the old and new ERP systems will be used cohesively as the dismantling of old ERP gantries and installation of OBUs could take more than a year.

Meanwhile, I can’t wait to drive and role-play as a taxi driver as I’ve always done as a kid in my dad’s car.

I don’t know why I like to do that. Don’t judge me.

And anyways, it’s unknown whether this GPS system can also track if you’re speeding. If so, driving might be a tad more expensive but it’ll be so much safer.