Can ETC be installed on the black area of the car's front windshield?
2 Answers
The ETC device can be installed on the black dotted area of the windshield, as long as it does not obstruct the driver's view and can sense the toll station's detection equipment. However, installing it on the black dotted area of the windshield also has drawbacks, such as reduced solar charging capability of the ETC device, which may lead to power depletion over time. For small cars, the ETC is generally installed in the upper middle part of the front windshield, while for large vehicles like trucks and buses, the installation position is in the lower middle part. The suitable installation position should be no lower than 1.2 meters and no higher than 2.5 meters, with an installation angle between 30 to 90 degrees. For vehicles with built-in or aftermarket explosion-proof film, which may affect the signal transmission of the microwave communication link, the ETC should be installed in the microwave skylight band. Here are some considerations for installing ETC: Do not obstruct the view; it's best to install it behind the rearview mirror: Many car models have windshields with a large rearward tilt angle, which can reduce the driver's field of vision. If this is not considered when installing the ETC, it may increase the driver's blind spots. Installing it on the right side behind the rearview mirror can help avoid obstructing the view. Do not interfere with charging: The ETC electronic tag consumes power but generally does not require charging or battery replacement because it has a solar panel on the back for self-charging. Therefore, during installation, avoid the black dotted areas of the windshield and positions that may block the solar panel. Once installed, do not remove it arbitrarily: The button in the middle of the adhesive is an anti-removal rod connected to a switch. After the electronic tag is installed, the windshield will press the anti-removal rod in. If the tag is removed arbitrarily, the rod will pop out and trigger the switch, locking the electronic tag and rendering it unusable. In such cases, you will need to visit an ETC service point to unlock it. This mechanism is designed to prevent multiple vehicles from sharing one device. When using ETC, note the following: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. To prevent issues caused by the ETC device of the vehicle in front, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters from the vehicle ahead to avoid automatic payment for the preceding vehicle. The ETC lane recognition speed is 20 kilometers per hour. Driving too fast may result in failure to read the vehicle's device information, leading to payment failure. When using a debit card linked to ETC, insufficient balance may also cause payment failure.
As a car owner, I want to share my personal experience. I suffered before by sticking my ETC on the black area. That area is actually called the ceramic dot, which looks like regular tint but contains metal particles specifically designed to block adhesives. After three days, I found I had to repeatedly back up at toll gates for recognition. A technician immediately identified the placement issue. Later, I moved it to the pure glass area to the right of the rearview mirror, and it worked perfectly. Now, I always remind friends of three things: thoroughly remove static when peeling off the protective film, remember to press the activation button, and finally choose a spot with over 10 hours of direct sunlight for optimal charging—otherwise, the battery storage capacity will degrade.
