Can I still use highways without ETC in the future?

[StAugust]

Yes, vehicles without ETC can still use highways. According to regulations from the State Council, starting from 2020, vehicles without ETC will not enjoy toll discounts. In the future, only one manual lane will remain at highway toll stations, and drivers must pay tolls through the manual channel. Additionally, newly installed ETC devices cannot be used immediately on highways—they must be activated first. During free holiday periods, highways can still be used. For vehicles already equipped with ETC, passing through ETC lanes during these periods will not incur charges. ETC Billing Principle: Highways have one or more ETC lanes. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the vehicle's onboard 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 in the background. This allows vehicles to pay tolls without stopping at toll booths, operating on a "pass first, deduct later" principle. Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in queues; Green and eco-friendly: Promotes low-carbon travel by reducing noise and exhaust emissions since vehicles don’t need to stop at toll booths; Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs by minimizing frequent starts and stops, lowering vehicle wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically increase traffic efficiency by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC systems 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 explicitly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, key city clusters should achieve interoperability of transportation smart cards, and the adoption rate of ETC in vehicles should significantly increase." The plan also set a target of "50% ETC usage rate for passenger vehicles on roads by 2020." Future possibilities: Beyond improving the convenience of ETC installation and increasing its adoption rate among passenger vehicles, efforts will also focus on promoting ETC for trucks and exploring deeper integration between ETC systems and smart transportation developments like vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-infrastructure coordination. This will provide comprehensive travel services for car owners, meaning more application scenarios will support ETC usage.

[Jimenez]

I've been driving on highways for over a decade, and you can definitely access highways without an ETC, don't worry. Every toll station has manual payment lanes where you can queue up to pay with cash or scan a QR code. However, during peak hours, the manual lanes tend to have long queues, which can be quite time-consuming. Back when there was no ETC, we relied entirely on manual lanes, and during holidays, you could get stuck for one or two hours, wasting fuel and feeling frustrated. With an ETC, it's much faster—you zoom right through and even get a 5% discount. If you drive frequently, you could save hundreds of yuan a year. Some people worry that ETC devices might leak privacy, but the technology is relatively secure these days—it mostly depends on your usage habits. I recommend getting one if possible—it’s convenient and hassle-free, especially in hot or rainy weather when you’d rather not stay outside longer than necessary. Highway access is a basic right; you won’t be blocked just for not having an ETC, and policies haven’t entirely banned manual toll collection either.

[BriellaAnn]

I've done the math. You can definitely use the highway without an ETC pass, as there are dedicated manual toll booths at the entrance where you can pay with cash or mobile payment. However, ETC offers a nationwide 5% discount. For example, on a ¥200 toll, you save ¥10. If you use it daily, the savings add up. Without ETC, you pay the full price and might face long queues during holidays, wasting fuel and increasing costs. I once waited 10 minutes in a manual lane, burning half a liter of fuel, which cost me extra. ETC devices are free to install—just link them to your bank card—it's not complicated. Security-wise, data encryption is generally reliable, so it's not a major concern. In short, skipping ETC won't stop you from driving, but it's less cost-effective; you'll just move slower in manual lanes during peak hours. The trend now is ETC priority with smart highways becoming common, but traditional lanes remain available.