Will only ETC be allowed on highways in the future?
3 Answers
In the future, highways will accept both ETC and manual toll collection. The government promotes ETC for advocacy and support purposes, but does not mandate it. Vehicle owners can voluntarily apply for ETC. ETC (Electronic Toll Collection): A non-stop electronic toll collection system for highways or bridges. It uses dedicated short-range communication between an onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and a microwave antenna in the ETC lane at toll stations. This system processes transactions through computer networking technology with banks, allowing vehicles to pass through highway or bridge toll stations without stopping to pay fees. ETC's deduction principle: Highways will have one or more ETC lanes. Through dedicated short-range microwave communication between the onboard electronic tag on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane, the system performs backend settlement with banks via computer networking. This achieves the goal of vehicles paying tolls without stopping at highway or bridge toll stations, 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 solution that reduces noise and exhaust emissions by allowing vehicles to pass toll stations without stopping; Reduced wear: Saves costs by decreasing the frequency of vehicle starts and brakes, thus lowering wear and fuel consumption; Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically increase vehicle throughput by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC faster, more advanced, 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, intercity transportation smart cards will be widely implemented in key city clusters, and the proportion of vehicles using ETC will significantly increase." The plan also set a target of "achieving a 50% ETC usage rate for passenger vehicles on highways by 2020." More future possibilities: In addition to continuously improving the convenience of ETC installation and usage rates for passenger vehicles, future efforts will include promoting ETC for trucks and exploring 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 vehicle owners, meaning more application scenarios will support ETC usage.
After driving for so many years, I find ETC quite convenient. Once installed, you don't need to queue up on the highway, just pass through the gate directly, saving time and effort. The country is indeed vigorously promoting ETC, with many highway entrances adding dedicated lanes. But I've traveled to many places, and manual toll booths haven't been completely eliminated yet. During holidays, you can still use cash or payment cards. There are many benefits to ETC, such as enjoying discounts, reducing congestion, and being safer. I recommend all car owners install one. The government often provides free installation, and it's not difficult to operate. Although ETC may dominate in the future, considering beginners or the elderly, manual methods will remain as a backup. Highway travel is already cumbersome, but with ETC, it becomes much smoother, and your mood improves.
As a car enthusiast, I really appreciate the smart technology of ETC. It wirelessly deducts fees through the OBU device, which is full of technological sophistication and makes highway passage smoother. Nowadays, most toll stations have ETC lanes, prioritizing its use but not excluding manual methods, such as swiping cards during late-night hours when there are fewer people. Installing ETC is simple and quick, and it can also be linked to Alipay or WeChat Pay, expanding convenience. Highway travel emphasizes efficiency, and ETC reduces the risk of queues, enhancing the overall experience. I often drive long distances, and ETC saves both hassle and fuel, making it highly recommended. The future trend may be more digital, but manual toll collection as a supplement will not disappear.
