Does the ETC card have a specific orientation for insertion?
2 Answers
ETC card insertion does have a specific orientation. The method for inserting the ETC card is as follows: 1. The ETC sensor is usually installed inside the vehicle, on the front windshield; 2. The base is attached to the front windshield with a small round plastic suction cup; 3. The Express Card contains a chip, which is linked to a bank card, and can also be topped up with money; 4. Take out the Express Card and gently insert the side with the chip facing up into the ETC sensor. ETC is an Electronic Toll Collection system, and the ETC lane is dedicated to vehicles equipped with an ETC onboard unit, using electronic toll collection. The ETC non-stop toll collection system is currently the most advanced bridge and road toll collection method in the world.
As a seasoned driver who frequently takes highways, I've found that inserting the ETC card doesn't require worrying about orientation—whether face up or down, the device can read the card information. This design is quite user-friendly, since who can remember the correct direction while driving? Just push it in hastily when in a rush. Once during a late-night drive, I inserted it upside down in panic, but the system still lit up and charged normally. The card's chip has dual-sided contacts, designed from manufacturing to eliminate directional concerns. Of course, if it fails to read, it's likely not an orientation issue but dust on the card or dirty machine contacts. I recommend gently wiping the card weekly with a soft cloth to remove dust; keeping the in-car device clean also reduces malfunctions. In short, don't stress over orientation—ETC exists for convenience, so just plug it in and enjoy automatic passage.
