Can I choose not to use ETC after installation?
2 Answers
It is acceptable to have ETC installed but not use it. According to the State Council regulations, vehicles without ETC or not using ETC in 2020 cannot enjoy toll discounts. In the future, only one manual lane will be retained at highway toll stations, and toll fees can only be paid through manual lanes. How ETC works: Through the dedicated short-range communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, computer networking technology is used to conduct background settlement processing with the bank. This achieves the purpose of vehicles passing through highway or bridge toll stations without stopping while still being able to pay the highway or bridge tolls. ETC deduction principles: For ETC vehicles, the toll amount is rounded according to the "round down if less than 0.5, no change if equal to or greater than 0.5" rule, then a 5% discount is applied, and finally rounded to the nearest cent. MTC vehicles still follow the "round to the nearest yuan" rule. 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 queues; Green and eco-friendly: Low-carbon, vehicles pass through toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions, and minimizing pollution; Reduces wear and tear: Saves costs, decreases the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, reducing wear and fuel consumption; Improves efficiency: The efficiency of ETC lanes can theoretically increase 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 using ETC will be significantly increased." It also set a target in the main indicators of comprehensive transportation development during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period: "By 2020, the ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles should 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 smart transportation development directions such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-road coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC applications.
You certainly don't have to use the ETC after getting it, as ETC is just a convenient option provided to you, not mandatory. I often drive on highways myself, and initially got ETC to save time from queuing. But sometimes when there's no money in the card or I forget to top it up, I just take the cash lane to pay. However, if you never use it, it's kind of a waste just sitting there, as the device installed in the car poses no risk of damage. The benefits of ETC include automatic fee deduction and discounts, like saving a few bucks on toll fees, and avoiding fines in ETC-only lanes—entering without an active ETC might cost you penalty points. I suggest trying it out occasionally; once you get used to it, it's super convenient and saves a lot of hassle. But ultimately, the choice is yours—no one's forcing you to use it unless certain lanes mandate ETC.
