Does ETC have to be activated in the car?
4 Answers
ETC must be activated in the car, and during installation, it must be placed in the center of the front windshield, directly behind the rearview mirror. ETC is currently the world's advanced toll collection method for roads and bridges. It operates through an onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield, which communicates via dedicated short-range microwave antennas in the ETC lanes at toll stations, using computer networking technology for backend settlement processing with banks. To activate ETC, choose an open area, turn off the vehicle to prevent accidental Bluetooth connections. For Android systems, enable GPS to enhance Bluetooth functionality, accurately turn on both the phone's Bluetooth and the ETC device's Bluetooth, then enter the ETC service mini-program for the activation step. The Bluetooth will automatically connect, eliminating the need to manually pair via the phone's Bluetooth settings.
Back when I installed the ETC, I was an experienced driver. I remember just driving straight to the bank's entrance, parked, and got it done. The staff had me sit in the car with the engine power on but not moving, then mounted that little box on the windshield and plugged it into the cigarette lighter for power. He used a specialized device to scan the OBU inside the car for activation—the whole process took about five minutes. I specifically asked why it had to be done inside the car, and he explained that the device needs to bind with the vehicle's location info, and powering it initializes the linked account. Normally, when driving through highway toll stations, the fee is automatically deducted—saving time and effort. If the device has issues, like weak signals, it can be reactivated in the garage. In short, activation must be done inside the car, but the vehicle just needs to be stationary—no need to drive around. Don’t believe rumors about having to take a test drive; it can be safely and quickly handled in a parking lot.
I just got my driver's license and installed an ETC, wondering if activation required driving around. Later at the service point, the staff instructed me to park and turn off the engine but keep the power on. Inside the car, he fiddled with a scanner for a bit and said it was done. Turns out activation must be done inside the vehicle because the device needs power to start and bind to the car's fixed position. No need to start the engine or move the car—safe and steady. Using ETC at toll gates is super fast, no queuing to pay. Newbies can ask the technician to test the signal after installation to ensure proper deductions. I think professional installation is much more hassle-free than DIY, all done indoors with zero risk.
The ETC activation mechanism is the process of powering on the OBU device for initialization and binding it to the vehicle. Typically, it involves fixing the device in the installation position inside the car, powering it on to activate the chip signal, and linking it to the account system. This can be completed while the vehicle is stationary, without requiring the car to be in motion. After powering on, the card reader detects and confirms activation, enabling accurate automatic toll collection during subsequent use. Position deviation may cause system misjudgment, necessitating reactivation, which can also be handled in a stationary vehicle environment. The entire setup is based on matching vehicle information to avoid errors.
