Is ETC one card per vehicle?
2 Answers
ETC is one card per vehicle, and one card can be bound to multiple vehicles. According to the "Rules for the Use of Non-stop Rapid Transit Systems," when applying for an ETC card, you need to fill out the "ETC Service Payment Authorization Form," where you can list multiple vehicles as designated payment vehicles. This means there is no limit to the number of vehicles that can be bound to a single ETC card for payment purposes. ETC is an electronic toll collection system, also known as an automatic road toll system. It is a specialized method for collecting tolls on roads, commonly used on highways, toll bridges or tunnels, and certain urban road sections to alleviate traffic congestion. 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 at toll stations, the system uses computer networking technology to settle payments with banks. This allows vehicles to pass through toll stations without stopping, based on the principle of "pass first, pay later." Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in queues; Green and eco-friendly: Reduces noise and exhaust emissions by allowing vehicles to pass through toll stations without stopping; 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 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 will be widely interoperable in key urban clusters, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will significantly increase." The plan also sets a target of "achieving a 50% ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles by 2020" in its main indicators for comprehensive transportation development during the 13th Five-Year Plan period. More Future Possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage rates for passenger vehicles, future efforts will focus on promoting ETC adoption for trucks and exploring deeper integration of ETC systems with smart transportation initiatives like vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination. This will provide comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners, meaning more application scenarios will support ETC usage.
I also wondered about this when I first installed ETC. Based on my experience, I can confirm it's strictly a one-car-one-card binding system. Each ETC card is linked to the owner's bank card and license plate number. The toll system identifies the information through that small black box on the vehicle during highway transit. However, please note that if you get a new car or change license plates, remember to deactivate the old device first. Many banking apps now allow online unbinding and reactivation of new devices. Never attempt to transfer it to another vehicle privately - the system will detect anomalies and the barrier won't lift. Last time my colleague borrowed a friend's car for a business trip, the ETC lane simply wouldn't work, and it turned out the license plate didn't match the card so it got locked.
