Is ETC Mandatory?
2 Answers
ETC is not mandatory. According to the State Council's regulations, vehicles without ETC in 2020 cannot enjoy toll discounts. In the future, only one manual lane will be retained at highway toll stations, and tolls can only be paid through manual lanes. Additionally, newly installed ETC devices cannot be used on highways immediately; they need to be activated first. During free holiday periods, vehicles with ETC can still use highways, and no fees will be deducted for ETC users passing through ETC lanes. ETC Billing Principle: Highways will have one or more ETC lanes. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the vehicle's 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 stations, all 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: Promotes low-carbon travel by reducing noise and exhaust emissions since vehicles don't need to stop at toll stations. Cost-saving: Reduces vehicle wear and fuel consumption by minimizing frequent starts and stops. Users also enjoy a 5% discount on toll fees. Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically increase traffic flow 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 explicitly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, intercity transportation cards should be widely interoperable in key urban clusters, and the adoption rate of ETC in vehicles should significantly increase." It also set a goal of "achieving a 50% ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles by 2020" in the main indicators for comprehensive transportation development during the "13th Five-Year Plan." Future possibilities: Beyond improving the convenience of ETC installation and increasing ETC adoption rates for passenger vehicles, efforts will be made to promote ETC usage for trucks. There will also be exploration into deeper integration between ETC systems and smart transportation developments like vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for car owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC usage in the future.
Wait, ETC is not mandatory, but it depends on how you drive. I frequently drive on highways, and having ETC makes passing through toll booths incredibly smooth—no need to queue for ages, saving a ton of time for other things. Imagine those long lines at toll stations—annoying, right? With ETC, just a quick scan and you're through, super convenient. ETC isn’t enforced by the state; you can still pay with cash if you don’t have it, but it means stopping, rolling down the window, and handing over money every time—tedious and time-consuming. As for installation, banks now offer free devices—just link a bank card, and you're set. Having ETC also comes with discounts, like off-peak or specific route deals, which can save you some fuel costs in the long run. If you rarely use highways—say, once or twice a month—you can skip it for now, but I’d recommend getting it when you have time. It’s a lifesaver for emergencies, hassle-free and totally worth it.
