Will all highway entries require ETC in the future?
2 Answers
Not all highway entries require ETC. According to Article 19 of the "Notice on Vigorously Promoting the Development and Application of ETC on Highways" issued by the State Council, vehicles without ETC cannot enjoy toll discounts. In the future, highway toll stations will retain only one manual lane, and tolls can only be paid through the manual channel. Additionally, newly installed ETC devices cannot be used on highways immediately; they must be activated before normal use. During holiday free-toll periods, ETC users can still use highways, and passing through ETC lanes will not incur charges for users with activated ETC. ETC charging principle: Highways will 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, computer networking technology is used to settle transactions with banks in the background. This allows vehicles to pay tolls without stopping at the toll station, all based on the principle of passing first and deducting fees later. Benefits of installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in queues; 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 brakes, lowering wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically increase vehicle throughput by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC more updated, faster, 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 basically achieve interoperability of transportation cards, 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, future efforts will also promote ETC usage for trucks and explore deeper integration of the ETC system with smart transportation directions 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 frequent highway commuter, I often encountered long queues at toll booths. Since installing the ETC device, I can pass through seamlessly, saving both time and effort. The current policy is indeed strongly promoting ETC, and I've heard that future highway constructions may designate more lanes as ETC-only. However, official statements confirm that manual toll lanes will still be retained to ensure traditional payment options remain available. I recommend installing an OBU device early—just a simple bank card binding is required, and you can even enjoy some toll discounts. That said, during peak hours at some toll stations, manual lanes can have long waits, so I usually check my device's battery to avoid any malfunctions disrupting my journey. In short, it's not mandatory, but having ETC definitely saves hassle and worry.
