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 Express Passing Systems," when applying for an ETC card, you need to fill out the "ETC Service Deduction Authorization Form." When filling in the designated payment vehicles, multiple vehicles can be listed. 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 specifically designed for toll roads, commonly found on highways, toll bridges or tunnels, and certain urban sections to alleviate traffic congestion. ETC Deduction Principle: Highways have one or more ETC lanes. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's 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, 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, as vehicles pass through toll stations without stopping. Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs by minimizing vehicle acceleration and braking frequency, thereby lowering wear and fuel consumption. Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically increase traffic 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, key city clusters will achieve interoperability of transportation cards, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will significantly increase." The plan also set a target of "achieving a 50% ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles by 2020." Future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage rates for passenger vehicles, future efforts will include promoting ETC use for trucks and exploring deeper integration of ETC systems with smart transportation developments such as 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.
As a veteran truck driver with 10 years of experience, I can responsibly tell you that ETC must be bound to one card per vehicle. Just the other day, my buddy tried to save trouble by using his sedan's ETC card on his newly purchased SUV to pass through the highway, and he was immediately stopped at the toll station. The system detected that the license plate didn't match the card's binding information, and it took half an hour on-site before he was allowed to proceed. Nowadays, when banks handle ETC applications, they record all your vehicle license and plate number details into the system, and that little device attached to the windshield is also bound to the specific vehicle. If you change or sell your car, remember to complete the ETC cancellation or transfer procedures first, otherwise the next owner will run into problems when using the highway.
