Can I still drive on highways without ETC in the future?
3 Answers
It is possible to drive on highways without ETC. According to the regulations of the State Council, starting from 2020, vehicles without ETC will not enjoy toll discounts. In the future, only one manual lane will be retained at highway toll stations, and tolls can only be paid through the manual lane. Additionally, newly installed ETC devices cannot be used immediately on highways; they need to be activated first. During holiday free-toll periods, vehicles can still use highways. For vehicles already equipped with ETC, passing through ETC lanes will not incur charges. ETC toll deduction principle: There will be one or more ETC lanes on highways. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the vehicle-mounted electronic tag installed on the windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station, and using computer networking technology for backend settlement with banks, the purpose of paying tolls without stopping at highway toll stations is achieved. All of this is based on the principle of "pass first, deduct later." Benefits of installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in queues; Green and eco-friendly: Green and low-carbon, vehicles pass through toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions and minimizing pollution; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs, reduces the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, lowering wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: Theoretically, ETC lanes can increase vehicle passing efficiency by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC faster, more advanced, 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 equipped with ETC will significantly increase." It also set a target in the main indicators of the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development plan: "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 increasing the ETC usage rate for passenger vehicles, efforts will be made to promote ETC usage for trucks in the future. There will also be exploration of deep integration between ETC systems and smart transportation development directions such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-road coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC applications.
As someone who frequently drives on highways, I've found that not having an ETC is not a problem. There are dedicated manual toll lanes at highway entrances where you can simply drive up, stop, and pay with cash or mobile payment. ETC is just more convenient, but you can still pass without it. I recommend new car owners to try the manual method first for practice, safety comes first. Remember that highway tolls can vary by time, such as longer queues at manual lanes during holidays when traffic is heavy, so bringing change is more convenient. Overall, this doesn't affect your travel plans, the key is to decide whether to apply for ETC later based on your own needs.
From an average car owner's perspective, I've had similar questions too. You can definitely use highways without ETC - manual toll booths are always available. ETC is a great electronic toll collection system that saves queuing time, but if you don't frequently use highways or have budget concerns, there's no rush to get one. Personally, I prefer using cash for long-distance trips to avoid the hassle of account binding. My advice is to check the toll station signage to choose the correct entry type and avoid wrong lanes. Ultimately, the choice is quite flexible and won't affect your ability to hit the road anytime.
