Can I Not Use the ETC After Getting It?
3 Answers
It is acceptable to have ETC installed but not use it. According to Article 19 of the "Notice on Vigorously Promoting the Development and Application of ETC on Expressways" issued by the State Council, starting from 2020, vehicles without ETC or not using ETC will not enjoy toll discounts. In the future, expressway toll stations will only retain one manual lane, and toll fees can only be paid through the manual channel. ETC Deduction Principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on expressways. Through microwave dedicated short-range communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane of the toll station, and using computer networking technology for backend settlement with banks, the purpose of paying toll fees without stopping at road and bridge toll stations is achieved. 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 toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions, and minimizing pollution; Reduce wear and tear: Saves costs, decreases the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, reducing 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 cards in key urban clusters will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with and using ETC will be significantly increased." It also explicitly set the goal in the main indicators of the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development 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 the development directions of smart transportation such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-road coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means that more application scenarios will support ETC applications.
It's actually fine to have an ETC without using it. There's no big issue. The ETC device in my car has been sitting idle for months after activation, still hanging there without any malfunction or alarm. ETC, or Electronic Toll Collection, is mainly designed for automatic fee deduction during highway travel to save queuing time. When not in use, it just sits there like a small decoration, neither deducting fees automatically nor affecting the vehicle. A few things to note: the battery inside the device may slowly drain, and reactivation after long-term disuse might require checking or replacing the battery; the linked bank card might be occupied, and any bank activity restrictions could slightly inconvenience you, but generally, there won't be extra charges. Personally, I think if you've gone through the trouble of getting an ETC, you might as well try using it—it saves time and hassle on highways, especially during holiday traffic jams. Letting it go to waste seems like a pity; why not take a highway trip occasionally to experience the convenience?
There's absolutely no problem if you don't use the ETC after getting it, no need to worry about consequences. My own car's ETC has been installed for almost a year without any highway trips, and the device is still working fine with no issues on the bank card. ETC is just a small device that automatically scans license plates for payment—nothing happens if you don't use it. However, I should remind you that the device has a small battery, which may lose power if left unused for too long. If that happens, you'll need to take it to a service center for a recharge. As for the bank, they usually just link the card without charging management fees—at most, it occupies a quota. I recommend using it occasionally during free time; otherwise, it'd be a waste not to enjoy the convenience. It's super enviable to see ETC lanes when regular toll booths have long queues. Overall, there's no risk, but smart usage is wiser.
