What is ETC?

[LeHailey]

ETC stands for Electronic Toll Collection in Chinese. It is currently the most advanced toll collection method for roads and bridges in the world. It utilizes 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 the toll station. ETC employs dedicated short-range communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane at the toll station. It uses computer networking technology to perform backend settlement processing with banks, thereby achieving the goal of vehicles passing through highway or bridge toll stations without stopping to pay tolls. Fully automated electronic toll collection (ETC) is one of the service functions of the intelligent transportation system, particularly suitable for use in highway or busy bridge and tunnel environments. Currently, there are dedicated ETC toll lanes at highway toll stations. Vehicle owners only need to install a transponder card on the windshield and preload funds. When passing through the toll station, there is no need for manual payment or stopping, as the highway toll will be automatically deducted from the card, enabling automatic toll collection. This system takes less than two seconds per vehicle, and the traffic capacity of ETC lanes is 5 to 10 times that of manual toll lanes. Using a fully automated electronic toll collection system can make highway toll collection paperless and cashless, fundamentally eliminating the loss of toll revenue and solving financial management chaos in highway toll collection. Additionally, implementing a fully automated electronic toll collection system can save on infrastructure and management costs. Documents required to apply for ETC: The vehicle owner's original valid ID card, the original and a copy of the vehicle registration certificate (the page with the most recent annual inspection stamp must be provided). If applying on behalf of someone else, the original valid ID card of the agent is also required. If applying for ETC through major bank branches, a debit or credit card from the corresponding bank must be prepared. Some banks only support ETC binding with credit cards, while others may require freezing a portion of the funds as a security deposit when binding with a debit card. ETC deduction principles: There will be one or more ETC lanes on highways. 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 the toll station, backend settlement is performed with banks using computer networking technology, achieving the goal of vehicles paying tolls without stopping at road or bridge toll stations. All of this is based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of queuing and waiting. Green and eco-friendly: Low-carbon, as vehicles pass through toll stations without stopping, reducing noise and exhaust emissions and minimizing pollution. Reduced wear and tear: Saves costs by reducing the frequency of vehicle starts and stops, lowering wear and fuel consumption. Improved efficiency: Theoretically, ETC lanes can increase vehicle passing efficiency by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC newer, faster, and more high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council clearly stated in the "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" that "by 2020, the interoperability of transportation smart cards in key urban clusters will be basically achieved, and the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC will significantly increase." It also set a target in the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development indicators: "By 2020, the ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles will reach 50%." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage and increasing the ETC adoption rate for passenger vehicles, efforts will be made to promote ETC usage for trucks in the future. There will also be exploration of deep integration between the ETC system and smart transportation development directions such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination, providing comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners. This means more application scenarios will support ETC applications. ETC usage precautions: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. When encountering a stationary vehicle ahead, maintain a distance of more than 10 meters to prevent automatic sensing and payment for the vehicle ahead, in case the vehicle ahead has a faulty ETC device or no ETC device at all. The recognized speed for ETC lane passage is 20 km/h. If the speed is too fast, the vehicle's device information cannot be read, leading to failed deductions. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or detachment or loosening of the ETC electronic tag, will render the electronic tag invalid. It can be taken to the bank where the ETC card was issued or the highway service office for inspection. If the detachment or loosening is not due to human factors, reactivation is sufficient. When using a debit card bound to ETC, insufficient balance will also cause deduction failures. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to use the manual MTC lane and pass by paying with cash or swiping a card. Excessive thickness of the car windshield may cause poor sensing. This is especially important for vehicles that have had their windshields replaced after accidents or for those who have modified their windshields.