POWER DRAW LOWER THAN PREVIOUS SYSTEM: LTA
LTA said the OBU is designed to draw minimal current even when the motorcycle is off, and that this power draw is actually lower than the previous IU.
Like the old IU, the OBU requires continuous power to operate. According to LTA’s One Motoring website, when a vehicle’s ignition is turned off, the OBU enters sleep mode and draws even less power than the IU did.
A spokesperson said that OBUs function as mini-computers that continually send and receive information such as traffic updates, requiring a continuous power supply to operate reliably and maintain performance.
“Motorcycle battery issues are unlikely to be linked to the OBU installed,” the spokesperson said. “In such cases, it is likely that the motorcycles have a weak or old battery.”
Motorcycle workshops echoed LTA’s assessment, pointing to various factors beyond the OBU that could cause battery drainage.
Mr Willian Tan, director of THCycle Motorcycle Repair and Servicing Workshop, said the OBU will not drain a motorcycle’s battery unless it has been tampered with. Unlike the previous IU, which had only two wires connected to battery terminals, the OBU has three wires connected to both the battery terminals and the ignition.
