What is the ETC system on expressways?

[LaMarley]

ETC is an electronic toll collection system, also known as an automatic road toll system. It is a road toll method specifically designed for toll roads, commonly seen on expressways, bridges or tunnels with toll policies, and certain sections of city centers to alleviate urban traffic congestion. According to regulations from the State Council, starting from 2020, vehicles without ETC cannot enjoy toll discounts. In the future, expressway toll stations will retain only one manual lane, and tolls can only be paid through manual channels. Additionally, newly installed ETC devices cannot be used on expressways immediately; they must be activated first. During free holiday periods, vehicles with ETC can still use expressways, and no fees will be deducted when passing through ETC lanes. ETC Deduction Principles: Expressways 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 the toll station, and by using computer networking technology for backend settlement with banks, the system achieves the goal of allowing vehicles to pay tolls without stopping at road or bridge toll stations. All of 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, thereby minimizing pollution. Cost-saving: Reduces vehicle wear and fuel consumption by minimizing frequent starts and stops. Users also enjoy a 5% discount on toll fees. Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically increase traffic efficiency by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC systems faster and more high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council's "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Comprehensive Transportation System" explicitly states the goal of "achieving interoperability of transportation cards in key city clusters by 2020 and significantly increasing the proportion of vehicles equipped with ETC." It also sets a target of "50% ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles by 2020" in the main indicators of the "13th Five-Year" comprehensive transportation development plan. More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage, efforts will be made to promote ETC use for trucks and explore deeper integration of ETC systems with smart transportation developments such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-road coordination. This will provide comprehensive travel services for vehicle owners, meaning more application scenarios will support ETC. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. If the vehicle in front stops, maintain a distance of at least 10 meters to prevent automatic fee deduction for the wrong vehicle due to ETC device malfunction or absence. 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 fee deductions. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or if the ETC electronic tag falls off or becomes loose, will render the tag invalid. It can be taken to the bank where the ETC card was issued or to an expressway service center for inspection. If the issue is not due to human interference, reactivation is sufficient. When using a debit card linked to ETC, insufficient balance may cause fee deduction failure. Follow the guidance of on-site staff to use the manual MTC lane and pay with cash or card. Thick 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.