Yes, ETC is nationwide and has been interconnected nationwide since 2015. According to the State Council's regulations, starting from 2020, vehicles without ETC cannot enjoy toll discounts. In the future, only one manual lane will be retained at highway toll stations, and tolls can only be paid through manual channels. Additionally, newly installed ETC devices cannot be used on highways immediately; they need to be activated first. During free holiday periods, ETC users can still use highways, and passing through ETC lanes will not incur charges for already installed ETC users. ETC Deduction Principles: There will be one or more ETC lanes on highways. Through microwave dedicated short-range communication between the vehicle's electronic tag installed on the windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane, and using computer networking technology for backend settlement with banks, the purpose of paying tolls without stopping at toll stations is achieved. All this is based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in line; Green and eco-friendly: Low-carbon, vehicles pass toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions, thus minimizing pollution; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs, decreases the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, lowering wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: Theoretically, ETC lanes can increase vehicle passing efficiency by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC more updated, faster, and more high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More Policy Support: The State Council clearly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, the interoperability of transportation cards in key city clusters will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will significantly increase." It also explicitly set the goal in the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development indicators that "by 2020, the ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles will reach 50%." More Future Possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and the ETC usage rate for passenger vehicles, the future will also promote the use of ETC for trucks and explore the deep integration of the ETC system with vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-to-road coordination, and other smart transportation development directions, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC applications. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC transaction sensing area is 8 meters. When the vehicle in front stops, to prevent the ETC device failure or absence of the vehicle in front, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters to avoid automatic sensing and paying for the vehicle in front. The ETC lane recognition speed is 20km/h. If the speed is too fast, the vehicle device information cannot be read, leading to deduction failure. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or detachment or loosening of the ETC electronic tag, will cause the electronic tag to fail. It can be sent to the bank where the ETC card was issued or the highway service office for testing. If the loosening or detachment is not man-made, reactivation is sufficient. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance will also cause deduction failure. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to use the manual MTC lane and pay with cash or card. Thick car windshields may cause poor sensing. Especially for vehicles that have had accidents and replaced windshields, or those with modified front windshields, extra attention is needed.
