Few requests from early adopters to reposition ERP 2.0 units to driver’s footwell so far: LTA

SINGAPORE – Some fleet operators have no plans to relocate the processing unit of their on-board units (OBUs) for the next-generation Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system from the passenger’s to the driver’s footwell, despite Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat saying motorists can do so for free if they wish.

They cited the absence of complaints from fleet drivers regarding the default location of the unit at the passenger’s footwell as a reason.

In response to queries from The Straits Times, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said on May 17 that it has not received any requests from fleet owners on the relocation of the processing units for their vehicles.

It added that four individual early adopters have contacted the authority for an appointment to assess if they can relocate their units.

Speaking in Parliament on May 8, Mr Chee offered early adopters the one-off opportunity to relocate the processing units from the default position at the passenger’s footwell to the driver’s footwell for free, if they wish to do so.

The three-piece OBU for the next-generation system – also known as ERP 2.0 – consists of a processing unit, an antenna and a touchscreen display.

Eligible early adopters are those who installed their OBUs on or before May 8, said LTA in a notice published on its OneMotoring website on May 8. This free repositioning scheme will be valid till Aug 31.

Most of these 18,000 early adopters are fleet vehicles such as buses and company-registered vehicles.

Mr Chee’s comment followed complaints from drivers about potential safety risks in reaching for payment cards from units installed at the passenger’s footwell.

Several car dealerships told ST that they have each received zero to six unit relocation requests so far, with most customers deciding to keep their processing units installed at the passenger’s footwell after learning about the possible obstructions and the potential lack of suitability for certain car models, such as those with driver knee airbags.

To this, LTA said in its notice that motorists are strongly encouraged to ask the assigned OBU care centres if the repositioned location of the processing unit would be suitable for their vehicle makes and models, before making an appointment to go to the centre.

The processing unit can be installed at the passenger’s footwell, the driver’s footwell, under the glove compartment, or under the car seat, subject to technical feasibility.

Among the fleet operators that will not be repositioning their processing units is car-leasing company Kinto. It has a number of cars in the “low 10s” with the ERP 2.0 processing units installed at the passenger’s side – except for one that was fitted on the driver’s side.

A spokesperson for Lumens Group, which Kinto is under, said it is unlikely that Kinto will have relocation plans, unless there are complaints from hirers.

The Lumens Group spokesperson added that it is “agnostic” to the location of the processing unit, as long as it is easy to install.

Similarly, a spokesperson for car-sharing company Tribecar noted that fewer than 10, out of its entire fleet of 1,300 vehicles, have been fitted with the OBUs, adding that the firm has no intention to shift the location of these processing units because it has not received any complaints from its users.

Private-hire vehicle rental firm Reliable.SG is unaffected, as it has already fitted 10 of about 300 of its vehicles with processing units at the driver’s side from the beginning.

Its operations manager Jason Lee said this decision was made after collecting feedback from its long-term drivers, who cited the inconvenience of reaching for payment cards at some privately owned carparks without the Electronic Parking System – especially when there is a passenger seated in front.

Car-sharing company BlueSG had already relocated its OBUs to the driver’s side in March, about one to two weeks after they were first installed at the passenger’s side, before Mr Chee’s announcement on May 8.

BlueSG chief executive Keith Kee said 250 – or 25 per cent – of its vehicles have had the processing units installed beside the ignition key slot, to the right of the driver’s footwell.

He added that the switch was made because the company received feedback that the “low positioning” of the processing unit between the passenger and the driver made it “difficult and unsafe” to insert the card while driving.

LTA said in its notice that the processing unit at the passenger’s footwell may be secured with very strong adhesive, and might leave some residue when removed for relocation.

In BlueSG’s case, Mr Kee said there was visible residue from the white heavy-duty tape used to secure units at the passenger’s side, but the company was able to “thoroughly clean them off” so they are now no longer noticeable.

LTA noted that for the driver’s footwell position, the unit will have to be fastened to the vehicle panel safely and securely with nuts and bolts, which will not be visible.

Mr Chong Kah Wei, managing director for Mazda at multi-brand dealership Eurokars, told ST that most customers decided against switching the position of their processing units after asking salespeople about the free repositioning scheme.

He noted that the salespeople would advise customers on the need to drill holes into the vehicle panel at the driver’s footwell, and the possibility of the processing unit heating up and hurting the driver’s left leg.

As a result, most drivers choose to stick to the default location for their units.

Having received only a few repositioning requests, a spokesperson for multi-franchise motor group Cycle & Carriage – which distributes brands like Mercedes-Benz, Kia, and Citroën – said its customers need to take note of the mandatory drilling of holes at the driver’s footwell and the possibility that some cars are not suitable for the installation of the unit at the driver’s side.

“We do not think that there will be a lot of repositioning requests because of these considerations,” added the spokesperson.

Some drivers told ST that they preferred to stick to the default location for the processing unit, while others wanted to make the switch.

Tertiary student Trevor Soo, 21, who already has the unit installed at the passenger’s footwell, said switching the position of the unit to the driver’s footwell would hinder movement as it would be very close to his left leg.

He added that he has no difficulties retrieving his payment card from the driver’s seat, so he will not be repositioning his unit.

Some of the early adopters of the OBUs include those who work in the motoring industry, such as Mr Vincent Ng, 59, a strategic consultant at Vincar EV, a distributor of electric vehicles.

Having experimented with various installation locations using a sample OBU in a company car, Mr Ng said he will choose to install his processing unit in his own car elsewhere under the front passenger seat, or below the glove box. He said the default location at the passenger’s footwell “sticks out like a sore thumb”.

Eligible motorists who wish to relocate their processing units can call LTA on 6377-2255. The service will then inform them about the specific OBU care centres they can contact to reposition their units.

Depending on the technical feasibility and make or model of the vehicle, LTA encourages drivers to set aside up to half a day for the repositioning.