Last week, my car’s IU (In-vehicle Unit) broke down out of the blue. The gantry at my company carpark displayed the error message “IU not found,” preventing me from entering. With no other option, I had to take urgent leave to resolve the issue.

I headed to VICOM at Kaki Bukit, where the technician quickly confirmed that the device was completely spoiled and needed replacement. The good news? The replacement was an upgrade to the new OBU (On-Board Unit) for ERP 2.0, and it was provided at no cost. However, I was told there was a queue, and the installation might take up to five hours. I made an appointment and left my car there, hoping the wait wouldn’t stretch longer.

The new OBU comes with mixed feelings. One frustrating change is that the cashcard slot is now on the passenger side, making it inconvenient to access. Every time I need to insert or remove the card, I have to lean over to the left, which feels unnecessarily cumbersome. Thankfully, the onscreen payment mode button allows me to toggle payment on or off without having to physically remove the card—a feature that slightly mitigates this annoyance.

That said, the OBU does come with some cool features. It provides real-time road updates, including travel times, road works, speed limits, police presence, and bus lane activation. These updates are handy, especially for navigating busy roads efficiently.

The experience at the VICOM center, however, was disappointing. When I returned to collect my car, I was casually told to “find it at the back.” I eventually located it parked in a row with other vehicles—unlocked, windows down, and my key inside the car. It was alarming to think that anyone could have driven off with my car if they’d wanted to. This level of carelessness was unexpected and soured an otherwise smooth process.

In the end, while the new OBU has its quirks and benefits, the experience left me hoping for better service standards at such centers. At least I’m back on the road with no parking hassles—for now! 🚗

For more information about the new ERP 2.0 system and On-Board Units (OBU), you can visit the OneMotoring website.