Can ETC devices be not used?
2 Answers
It is possible not to use it, but you can only go through the manual lane. According to the regulations of the State Council, vehicles that have not applied for ETC in 2020 will not enjoy the toll discount. In the future, only one manual lane will be retained at highway toll stations, and tolls can only be paid through the manual lane. Also, the ETC device cannot be used on the highway immediately after installation; it needs to be activated before normal use. During the free periods on holidays, you can still use the highway. For users who have already installed ETC, passing through the ETC lane will not incur charges. ETC charging principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on the highway. Through the dedicated short-range microwave communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, the computer network technology is used to settle accounts with the bank in the background, achieving the purpose of vehicles not needing to stop at road and bridge toll stations to pay tolls. All of this is based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of installing ETC: Save time: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in line; Green and environmentally friendly: Green and low-carbon, vehicles pass through toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions and decreasing pollution; Save on wear and tear: Saves costs, reduces the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, and lowers wear and fuel consumption; Improve efficiency: The efficiency of passing through ETC lanes can theoretically be increased by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC updates 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 installing and using ETC will be significantly increased," and clearly proposed in the main indicators of the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development that "by 2020, the ETC usage rate of road passenger vehicles will reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and the usage rate of ETC passenger vehicles, the future will also promote the use of ETC by trucks, explore the deep integration of the ETC system with the development directions of smart transportation such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-road coordination, and provide vehicle owners with comprehensive travel services. This means that more application scenarios will support ETC applications.
I have been driving for over ten years, and ETC devices are actually optional—you can choose not to use them. However, it depends on the situation: On highways, if you don't use ETC, you'll have to take the manual lane and pay with cash or by scanning a QR code, which may involve long queues and waste time. Some regions encourage ETC usage—for example, Chinese highways offer discounts, and not using ETC might mean paying more or missing out on savings. Technically, ETC uses RFID for automatic deductions, which is very convenient and secure; not using it means losing this advantage. If you rarely drive on highways or mostly travel in small towns, not installing one is fine, as manual lanes are always available. The key is to avoid mistakenly entering ETC-only lanes, as doing so may result in fines. My suggestion is to decide based on your travel habits: If you frequently use highways, installing one is beneficial; if only occasionally, cash can suffice, but keep spare change handy to avoid inconvenience with change.
