Is ETC Nationwide in China?

[VonJace]

ETC is nationwide in China and achieved national network interconnection as early as 2015. According to State Council regulations, starting from 2020, vehicles without ETC cannot enjoy toll discounts. In the future, highway toll stations will only retain one manual lane, requiring cash payment. Additionally, newly installed ETC devices cannot be immediately used on highways - activation is required first. During holiday free-toll periods, ETC users can still access highways without being charged when passing through ETC lanes. ETC Deduction Principles: Highways feature one or more ETC lanes. Using dedicated short-range microwave communication between the onboard unit (OBU) on the vehicle windshield and the toll station's microwave antenna, coupled with bank backend settlement via computer networking technology, enables toll payment without stopping at stations. This operates on a "pass first, pay later" principle. Benefits of ETC Installation: Time-saving: Eliminates queuing wait times; Eco-friendly: Reduces noise and emissions by eliminating stops at toll stations; Cost-efficient: Decreases vehicle wear from frequent acceleration/braking, offers 5% toll discounts; Improved efficiency: ETC lanes theoretically process vehicles 2-3 times faster than conventional methods; Policy support: The State Council's 13th Five-Year Plan targets 50% ETC adoption rate for passenger vehicles by 2020; Future potential: Expanding to trucks and integrating with smart transportation systems like V2V and V2I communication. ETC Usage Notes: Maintain 10m distance from preceding vehicles in ETC lanes to avoid mischarging; Keep speed below 20km/h when passing through ETC lanes; Unauthorized OBU movement or detachment requires reactivation; Insufficient debit card balance may cause payment failure - use manual lanes if needed; Overly thick or replaced windshields may impair signal reception.