Vehicles equipped with ETC can use manual toll lanes, but the ETC card must be removed and handed to the toll collector. When using a manual lane, you must stop, take the card out of the OBU device, and let the toll collector swipe it to obtain exit information. When passing through the toll station, proceed in an orderly manner and avoid cutting in line to prevent congestion in manual lanes. ETC is a non-stop electronic toll collection system, also known as an automatic road toll system. It is a dedicated road toll method typically used on highways, toll bridges or tunnels, and certain urban road sections to alleviate traffic congestion. ETC Deduction Principle: Highways have one or more ETC lanes. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the vehicle's electronic tag (installed on the windshield) and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane, the system uses computer networking technology to settle payments with banks, allowing vehicles to pass toll stations without stopping. This operates on a "pass first, deduct later" principle. Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in line. Green and eco-friendly: Reduces noise and exhaust emissions by avoiding stops at toll booths. Reduces wear and tear: Saves costs by minimizing frequent starts and stops, lowering vehicle wear and fuel consumption. Improves efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically increase passing efficiency by 2-3 times, making the system faster and more advanced. Compared to license plate payment, ETC is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council's "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" explicitly states the goal of "achieving interoperability of transportation cards in key city clusters by 2020 and significantly increasing the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC." It also sets a target of "50% ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles by 2020." Future possibilities: Beyond improving ETC installation convenience and passenger vehicle usage rates, future efforts will promote ETC for trucks and explore deeper integration with smart transportation initiatives like vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for drivers. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. If the vehicle ahead stops, maintain a distance of over 10 meters to avoid accidentally paying for the wrong vehicle due to faulty or missing ETC devices. The ETC lane recognition speed is 20 km/h. Driving too fast may prevent the system from reading vehicle information, leading to failed deductions. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or if the ETC tag becomes loose or detached, may render it ineffective. In such cases, visit the bank where the ETC card was issued or a highway service center for inspection. Non-deliberate issues can often be resolved by reactivation. Using a debit card with insufficient balance may cause deduction failures. Follow on-site staff guidance to use manual MTC lanes with cash or card payments. Windshield thickness may affect signal reception, especially for vehicles with replaced or modified windshields after accidents.
