LTA defends ERP 2.0 on-board unit meets international standards

SINGAPORE: The Land Transport Authority (LTA) issued a statement on Tuesday (14 May) defending the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP 2.0) on-board units (OBU), stating that they were tested and meet the relevant global benchmarks for electronic devices.

In the statement, the LTA refuted allegations that the OBU failed to meet international standards.

During a Parliamentary session on 8 May, Mr Louis Chua, Workers' Party Member Parliament (MP) for Sengkang GRC sought clarification from the Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat regarding whether the new OBU design meets the Automotive Electronics Council’s (AEC) EC-Q100 requirements for reliable operations in Singapore’s climate.

In response, Minister Chee did not directly address whether the new OBU design meets the standards. However, he assured that the LTA conducted a series of tests to ensure the OBU’s functionality in Singapore’s weather conditions.

In the Tuesday statement, the LTA clarified that the AEC-Q100 is not the correct standard for assessing electronic devices like the OBU.

"The AEC-Q100 standard is used to measure packaged integrated circuits used in vehicles, such as the chips used in the in-car entertainment system. "

"AEC-Q100 focuses on the quality of individual components and is not meant for devices that comprise many components that are put together, " LTA clarified.

The LTA finally revealed that the relevant standards the OBU was tested against are the International Electrotechnical Commission’s IEC-60068 and IEC-60529, which Minister Chee did not disclose to MP Louis Chua in Parliament last week.

The LTA stated that these two standards are widely used to test the operational reliability of electronic or electrical devices.

To achieve IEC-60068 and IEC-60529 qualification, the OBU passed a wide range of tests including temperature and humidity, added LTA.

"When properly installed, it is safe and reliable to use in our operating environment."

The LTA reiterated concerns about temperature, noting that the processing unit of the OBU functions like a mini-computer and generates heat when operating, unlike passive devices or components like the existing IU, vehicle dashcam, or the antenna and touchscreen display component in the OBU.

The LTA compared this to a smartphone left on the dashboard for a few hours under the hot sun, which could overheat and stop working temporarily. The phone would display an error message stating it can only be used after it has cooled down.

"Apple issued a technical advisory that their devices should be stored between -20 to 45 degrees Celsius, and that users should not leave their iPhones in a parked car on a hot day. "

LTA recently faced significant backlash from motorists following the introduction of the new OBU for the ERP 2.0 system, with many expressing frustration over the inconvenience caused by the OBU for cars.

The Singaporean community mocked LTA for what they perceived as a “poor excuse” for defending the bulky design, highlighting that the previous single-piece IU in ERP 1.0 encountered no heating issues and was considered notably more convenient.

Last week, Minister Chee defended the design and responded by explaining the “physics” behind temperature variations in car interiors, emphasizing that footwells experience significantly lower temperatures compared to dashboards on sunny days.

“With this kind of temperature, if you were to put a single-piece OBU, which means the antenna, the display, and the processing unit all on the dashboard, there is a risk that it could overheat, and then it will affect the functionality of this unit,” he said.

While a cooling fan could potentially be integrated into the OBU’s design, this would inevitably lead to a significant increase in the system’s overall bulkiness, he said.

“I don’t think motorists will want a very big and bulky one-piece unit on their dashboard. It would not be the right design,” he added.

Addressing concerns regarding the placement of the OBU processing unit, Minister Chee highlighted that during the initial phase of installation, the LTA limited placement to the passenger side.

However, in response to feedback from early adopters, LTA has now extended the option for vehicle owners to install the processing unit on the driver side, contingent upon technical feasibility.

Minister Chee acknowledged that offering more choices could potentially increase complexity and installation time for workshops.

“However, we think the trade-off is necessary, to allow vehicle owners to have the flexibility to customise their preferred options, and not have a “one-size fits all” approach.”