You can apply for ETC with a debit card even without a credit card. According to the "Implementation Plan for Accelerating the Application Service of Electronic Non-stop Toll Collection on Highways" issued by the Ministry of Transport, you need to bring the original valid ID card of the vehicle owner, the original and a copy of the vehicle registration certificate (the page with the latest annual inspection stamp). If applying on behalf of someone else, you also need to provide the original valid ID card of the agent. If applying for ETC through major bank branches, you will also need to prepare a debit card or credit card from the corresponding bank. Some banks only support ETC binding with credit cards, while others may require freezing a portion of the amount as a deposit when binding ETC with a debit card. The principle of ETC fee deduction: There will be one or more ETC lanes on the highway. Through microwave dedicated short-range communication between the on-board electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, and using computer networking technology for backend settlement with the bank, the vehicle can pay the toll without stopping at the toll station. 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: Low-carbon, vehicles pass through the toll station without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions and minimizing pollution; Reduce wear and tear: Saves costs, reduces the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, and lowers wear and fuel consumption; Improve efficiency: The theoretical efficiency of ETC lanes can be increased 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 smart cards in key city clusters will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will be significantly increased." 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 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. ETC usage precautions: The ETC transaction sensing area is 8 meters. When encountering a stopped vehicle ahead, to prevent the ETC device failure of the vehicle ahead or the absence of an ETC device, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters to avoid automatic sensing and paying for the vehicle ahead. The recognition speed for ETC lane passage is 20 km/h. If the speed is too fast, the vehicle device information cannot be read, leading to fee 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. You can send it to the bank where the ETC card was issued or the highway service office for testing. Non-manual loosening or detachment only requires reactivation. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance will also cause fee deduction failure. You can follow the guidance of on-site staff to use the manual MTC lane and pass by cash or card. Excessive thickness of the car windshield can cause poor sensing. This is especially important for vehicles that have been repaired or had their windshields replaced after an accident, or for those who have modified their front windshields.
