Can ETC be placed somewhere other than the windshield?
2 Answers
ETC can be placed somewhere other than the windshield, as long as it does not obstruct the driver's view and can be recognized by the equipment at the highway toll station. The installation steps for ETC are: 1. Peel off the double-sided adhesive plastic film on the back of the ETC device and stick it to a suitable position; 2. Press firmly for about 10 seconds after sticking; 3. Insert the card into the ETC device and repeatedly insert and remove it several times. ETC is an electronic toll collection system, which is an automatic toll collection for highways or bridges. It is an on-board electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and communicates with the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station through dedicated short-range communication.
I've been driving for over a decade and always stick my ETC device in the top right corner of the windshield. The signal reception is excellent there, and it doesn't block my view. Can it be placed elsewhere? Honestly, I once tried moving it to the dashboard, but the toll gate couldn't detect it at all, wasting my time. Later, I learned that ETC devices are designed to align stably with sensors when placed on the windshield. If the position is off, the signal gets interfered with or drops. Plus, many devices have solar panels—keeping them on the windshield ensures they charge in sunlight, whereas moving them might mean frequent charging with a power bank. Also, regulations recommend a fixed position to prevent malfunctions from bumps while driving. My advice? Just keep it on the windshield—it's not worth a trip to the repair shop. If you really must move it, get a professional to test the signal strength first.
