What does electronic ETC mean?

[StColton]

ETC is an electronic toll collection system, also known as an automatic road tolling 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. According to regulations by the State Council, starting from 2020, vehicles without ETC will not enjoy toll discounts. In the future, highway toll stations will retain only one manual lane, requiring drivers to pay tolls manually. Additionally, newly installed ETC devices cannot be used on highways immediately—they must be activated first. During free holiday periods, ETC users can still use highways without being charged. ETC Billing Principle: Highways have one or more ETC lanes. Communication between the vehicle's onboard electronic tag (installed on the windshield) and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane enables automatic toll deduction via backend banking systems. This allows vehicles to pass through toll stations without stopping, operating on a "pass first, pay later" principle. Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the need to wait in queues. Green and eco-friendly: Reduces noise and emissions by minimizing stops at toll stations. Cost-saving: Lowers fuel consumption and wear by reducing frequent stops and starts. Users also enjoy a 5% toll discount. Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can process vehicles 2-3 times faster than traditional methods, making them more advanced and efficient. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council's "13th Five-Year Plan for Modern Integrated Transportation System Development" aims for widespread ETC adoption by 2020, targeting 50% usage among passenger vehicles. Future possibilities: Beyond improving ETC convenience and adoption, future plans include expanding ETC use for trucks and integrating it with smart transportation technologies like vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC sensing range is 8 meters. To avoid accidental charges for the vehicle ahead, maintain a distance of over 10 meters if the preceding car stops. The maximum speed for ETC lane recognition is 20 km/h. Exceeding this speed may result in failed transactions. Tampering with or detaching the OBU device may deactivate it. If this occurs, visit the issuing bank or highway service center for reactivation. Insufficient balance on debit-linked ETC cards may cause payment failures. In such cases, follow staff instructions to use manual lanes with cash or card payments. Thick or modified windshields may interfere with ETC signal reception, especially after repairs or replacements.