Will highways only accept ETC in the future?
3 Answers
Highways do not exclusively use ETC. Vehicles without ETC can still access highways. According to regulations by the State Council, vehicles without ETC will not enjoy toll discounts and must pay fees through manual lanes. Additionally, newly installed ETC devices cannot be used immediately—they must be activated before functioning normally. During free holiday periods, vehicles can still use highways. For users with activated ETC, passing through ETC lanes will not incur charges. ETC Deduction Principles: Highways feature one or more ETC lanes. The system relies on dedicated short-range microwave communication between the vehicle's on-board electronic tag (installed on the windshield) and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane. This connects to bank backend settlement via computer networking, enabling vehicles to pay tolls without stopping at toll stations—all based on a "pass first, deduct later" principle. Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates waiting in queues. Green & eco-friendly: Reduces noise and exhaust emissions by avoiding idling at toll booths. Cost-efficient: Lowers vehicle wear and fuel consumption by minimizing frequent stops and starts. Enhanced efficiency: ETC lanes theoretically process vehicles 2-3 times faster, making traditional ETC more advanced, faster, and high-tech. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. Policy Support: The State Council's "13th Five-Year Plan for Modern Integrated Transportation System Development" explicitly aims to "achieve interoperability of transport cards in major city clusters and significantly increase ETC adoption by 2020," with a target of "50% ETC usage rate for road passenger vehicles by 2020" under key transport development indicators. Future Possibilities: Beyond improving ETC convenience and passenger vehicle adoption, future plans include promoting ETC for trucks and integrating ETC systems with vehicle-to-vehicle communication, vehicle-road coordination, and smart transportation initiatives. This will provide comprehensive travel services, expanding ETC application scenarios.
I’ve noticed significant changes at highway toll stations, with ETC lanes becoming increasingly common while manual payment booths are rarely seen. As a regular driver who prefers using ETC, I believe highways are likely to transition entirely to the ETC system in the future. The government’s strong promotion and rising installation rates aim to alleviate congestion and reduce emissions. ETC offers fast and convenient passage—since installing the device, I no longer need to stop at toll stations, and the app allows me to check records and payment details. In the short term, some remote areas may retain manual lanes as backups, but the trend is clear. I’d advise friends who haven’t installed ETC to act soon—it’s free to apply, and you can link it to your bank card or Alipay. In case of device failure, don’t worry; service centers are always there to help, making digital-era travel more worry-free.
I always take the ETC lane when driving on the highway, which saves me a lot of time from queuing. Manual toll booths are rarely encountered now, especially during peak hours when only ETC lanes are open at toll stations. I believe that in the future, highways will basically only support ETC toll collection, with policy-driven acceleration of this transition to enhance traffic safety and efficiency. Based on my experience commuting between cities, the benefits of ETC are numerous: avoiding long delays from queues, automatic deductions eliminating the hassle of cash. Remote highways might retain emergency lanes, but manual toll collection will eventually be phased out. It's highly practical for car owners to install ETC devices promptly—installation is simple, and free binding with WeChat Pay offers more flexibility. During the transition period, keeping cash as a backup is a good habit, as system upgrades always come with an adjustment period.
