[ad_1]
The Land Transportation Authority (LTA) recently released a glimpse of what the next generation Electronic Highway Pricing (ERP) system will look like and… let’s just say motorists have strong opinions on it.
Transport Minister Ong Ye Kung has since responded to colorful comments on social media.
On Tuesday (September 8), the LTA announced that the installation of new On-Board Units (OBUs) will begin next year to replace current In-Vehicle Units (IUs) that drivers have been familiar with for more than a decade.
Minister Ong went on to state that the OBUs will have a larger screen that can function as a display unit to display maps, real-time traffic information, and safety alerts. The new units are needed before the ERP system overhaul in 2023, which will involve satellite-based technology and thinner and smaller gantries.
https://www.facebook.com/ongyekung/posts/3801529716528269
However, the current cordon-based congestion pricing framework will be maintained.
Motorists have been expressing their thoughts on the new OBU, which consists of three pieces: an antenna, a touchscreen that mounts to the windshield, and a processing unit that sits under the dash. The three-piece set only applies to non-motorcycle vehicles – drivers simply have to replace their current UI with a one-piece OBU.
On social media, netizens have mentioned that the OBU looks messy and would ruin the look of the car’s interior.
Many have said that the OBU assembly resembles the devices that taxi drivers have in their cabs.
Others have wondered why multiple car components cannot be condensed into one unit.
‘Practical restrictions’
Minister Ong sought to clarify the concerns in a Facebook post today (September 10). As for why the three-piece unit cannot be condensed into a single component, the minister mentioned that the separation was necessary to combat overheating.
“The problem is the heat. Every now and then, we park our cars in the hot sun and an in-dash processing unit could not function without a large cooling unit,” he said.
“So the contractor designed it to be a separate module under the dash, rather than part of a much larger OBU built into the dash.”
On concerns about the volume of the OBU display, Minister Ong stated that it would be better to incorporate now that LTA provides important traffic-related information, and also in case motorists change their minds after initially using a smaller unit without screen.
He also mentioned that the OBU photos “could be a bit misleading” and that its dimensions are “just a little bit larger” than current UIs.
Consultation on the actual design of the OBUs had not been possible, he added, as LTA was contractually bound to the chosen proposal.
“There may be consultations and design changes but it will affect the contract,” he said. “We will have to see how to do this better next time.”
https://www.facebook.com/916503765030893/posts/3807823549232219/
