What does installing ETC in a car mean?
3 Answers
The device installed in a car for ETC is called an OBU device. Once the device is installed, activated, and a card is inserted, it can be used normally. 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 seen on highways, toll bridges or tunnels, and certain sections of city centers to alleviate urban traffic congestion. According to regulations by the State Council, starting from 2020, vehicles without ETC will not 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 must be activated first. During holiday free periods, vehicles with ETC can still use highways, and no tolls will be deducted when passing through ETC lanes. ETC Deduction Principles: Highways have one or more ETC lanes. Using dedicated short-range microwave communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane, along with computer networking technology for backend bank settlements, the system allows vehicles to pay tolls without stopping at toll stations. This operates 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: Reduces noise and exhaust emissions by allowing vehicles to pass toll stations without stopping. Reduces wear and tear: Saves costs by minimizing frequent starts and stops, lowering vehicle wear and fuel consumption. Users also enjoy a 5% discount on tolls. Improves efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically increase traffic flow by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC faster, more advanced, and more efficient. 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 Integrated Transportation System" that "by 2020, key city clusters should achieve interoperability of transportation cards, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC should significantly increase." The plan also set a target of "50% ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles by 2020." More future possibilities: In addition to improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage rates for passenger vehicles, the future will also promote ETC usage for trucks and explore deeper integration of ETC systems with vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination, and other smart transportation developments. This will provide comprehensive travel services for car owners, meaning more application scenarios will support ETC. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. If the vehicle in front is stationary, maintain a distance of at least 10 meters to avoid mistakenly paying for the vehicle ahead due to faulty or missing ETC devices. The recognition speed for ETC lanes is 20 km/h. Driving too fast may prevent the system from reading the vehicle's device information, leading to failed toll deductions. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or if the ETC electronic tag falls off or becomes loose, may render the tag invalid. In such cases, the device can be taken to the bank where the ETC card was issued or to a highway service office for inspection. If the issue is not due to human interference, reactivation may suffice. When using a debit card linked to ETC, insufficient balance may cause toll deduction failures. Follow the guidance of on-site staff and use manual MTC lanes to pay with cash or cards. Thick car windshields may cause poor signal reception. This is especially important for vehicles that have had their windshields replaced after accidents or for those with modified front windshields.
Installing ETC in a car means equipping it with an Electronic Toll Collection system device. This gadget allows you to drive through toll stations without stopping to pay, simply by passing through the ETC lane. As a veteran long-distance driver, I find ETC extremely practical: the device is like a small box stuck on the windshield, containing a bank card that gets scanned by the toll station's antenna to automatically deduct the fee. The benefits are speed—what normally takes minutes in a payment queue is done in seconds with ETC; cost savings—tolls are usually discounted by about 5%; and added safety—reducing the risk of fender benders. Installation is straightforward: bring your ID and vehicle registration to a bank or ETC service point for a free setup that takes just minutes. Just be mindful of keeping the device's battery charged and ensuring the card has sufficient balance. In short, having ETC in your car significantly enhances travel convenience.
Installing an ETC in your car means adding an electronic toll collection device to simplify the highway toll payment process. I often drive my family SUV for trips with the kids, and the ETC saves me the hassle of stopping: just slow down and pass through the ETC lane at the toll booth—no need to roll down the window to hand over cash or scan a QR code, which is especially comfortable on rainy or scorching hot days. It also comes with discounts; for example, the money saved from a few short trips can buy a cup of milk tea. Installation is usually free or costs just a few dozen yuan, and you can schedule a home service via your bank app. However, be mindful of signal stability during use—sometimes lanes get congested, so slow down. It's also recommended to keep the device clean to avoid malfunctions. Occasionally, if you encounter insufficient balance, just top it up via your phone to avoid issues next time. ETC is truly ideal for commuters and road trippers, making journeys easier and safer.
