We refer to the letters by Larry Leong and Chan Mun Wei on the nexgen ERP system (November 22).

Making our land transport greener is indeed a priority for LTA, and congestion management remains a key instrument for us to do so. The nexgen ERP system leverages Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) technology, which is a commonly used navigational technology today. 

With GNSS, we will be infrastructure-lite and also have better collection of aggregated traffic data, to improve traffic management and transport planning. Motorists will also enjoy more value-added services, such as advance alerts on charging locations, real-time traffic information and road safety advisories. We will ensure that information displayed will not be distracting or affect safety.

A key component of the nexgen ERP system is the on-board unit (OBU). The OBU has been designed to ensure that the functions can be performed reliably and securely with highest assurance, interoperate with existing systems and allow operations in different vehicle types and vehicle environment. The OBU also comes with security features that are superior to that of a smartphone. 

In response to public feedback, LTA has been studying the option of allowing motorists to use their smartphones as the OBU display screens. We will provide motorists with the details of the design and features of nexgen ERP before the commencement of the OBU installation exercise in 2023.

On payment of ERP charges, motorists who prefer to use their Credit or Debit cards instead of stored-value cards (e.g. CashCards) can already sign up for backend payment services today. This feature will continue to be supported in the nexgen ERP system.  

Lam Wee Shann
Chief Innovation & Transport Technology Officer
Land Transport Authority