Roll-out of satellite-based ERP system delayed by global chip shortage

This article is more than 12 months old

Nov 17, 2021 07:04 pm

SINGAPORE - The transition to the next-generation Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system is delayed yet again - this time by the global chip shortage.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said Wednesday (Nov 17) that the roll-out - last planned for end-2021 - will now happen in the second half of 2023.

The initial plan was to start replacing the current ERP in-vehicle units with new onboard units (OBU) last year. This was eventually pushed to end of this year because of Covid-19.

As installation of OBUs – involving almost one million vehicles – would take 18 months, the new ERP system is unlikely to be switched on till at least 2025.

Besides providing information on ERP charging locations and rates, the OBU will provide information such as real-time road traffic updates as well as locations of nearby School Zones and Silver Zones, the LTA had said.

The killer application of the new system is its ability to charge for distance travelled. The LTA, however, had indicated earlier that this function would not be rolled out initially.