Liaoning is developing smart parking, with “car‑swipe payment” set to become a reality in the future.

To further enhance vehicle throughput and achieve cost reduction, efficiency gains, and greener travel, starting in 2020, the primary reliance will shift to technologies such as highway electronic toll collection (ETC), replacing manual tolling. By then, the nationwide ETC user base is expected to exceed 180 million, with ETC installation rates surpassing 80% across all provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities, and ETC usage on expressways reaching over 90%.

Data: The total number of users across the province reached 5.8472 million.

By the end of 2018, Shenyang had 2.3121 million registered vehicles (accounting for 798,480 across the entire province). As of July 5, 2019, the city had 1.1312 million ETC users. Starting in July, an additional 817,400 ETC accounts were added, bringing the total to 1.8585 million. Installation of ETC devices on all commercial passenger buses, taxis, and ride-hailing vehicles has been largely completed, while the rollout among freight vehicles is progressing steadily.

In addition, as of now, Liaoning Province has issued ETC accounts to 5.8472 million households. All five major projects—the construction of 694 ETC gantry systems, the dismantling of 10 provincial border toll stations, the upgrading of 1,540 ETC lanes, the installation of weigh-in-motion facilities at 293 entry points, and the renovation of the provincial networked center system—have been completed ahead of schedule and have entered the phase of joint commissioning and testing. As of November 11, the ETC usage rate among passenger vehicles on Liaoning’s expressways has exceeded 80%.

Credit Reporting: ETC Payment Delays Will Be Reported to Credit Bureaus

The People’s Bank of China and the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission recently issued the “Guiding Opinions on Financial Services Supporting the Reform of the Toll Road System,” which has sparked widespread debate, particularly over the provision that “ETC arrears will be reported to personal credit records.”

According to reports, ETC users generally have two options: they can link either a debit card or a credit card. Reporting to the credit bureau only occurs when a credit card is linked and payments are not made on time; linking a debit card does not affect one’s credit record.

Bank staff advise ETC users to monitor their account balances regularly to avoid insufficient funds or overdue payments.

“Being reported to the credit bureau is a situation that can arise if you default on a credit card after it has been linked; there’s no need to worry excessively. Just monitor your statements and make timely payments, just as you would with any regular credit card repayment,” said a China Construction Bank employee.

Future: “Car‑swipe payment” will be implemented.

According to the latest data from the Ministry of Public Security, China’s vehicle ownership has reached 246 million, highlighting the enormous potential of ETC. If ETC adoption reaches 80% of all vehicles, this substantial figure could profoundly transform—and even reshape—consumption patterns related to automobiles.

In response, Qu Zhenfu, director of the Toll Collection Center at the Shenyang Branch of Liaoning Provincial Expressway Operation Co., Ltd., noted that, taking parking as an example, some drivers may only use the expressway once a month but park there every day. If most vehicles and parking facilities were equipped with ETC, the time‑consuming manual toll collection—previously taking about 20 seconds—could be replaced by a quick online payment in just three seconds, dramatically boosting travel efficiency. At the same time, relevant regulatory authorities could leverage ETC big data to identify which parking lots are congested during the day and which are crowded at night, enabling more informed resource allocation and improving overall parking utilization.

Earlier, at the signing ceremony marking Shenyang’s designation as a pilot city for ETC‑enabled smart parking, it was announced that Liaoning Province will accelerate the expansion of ETC applications across 8 airports, 379 railway stations, 50 first‑class passenger transport hubs, and 59 port parking facilities, enabling “vehicle‑to‑payment” functionality.

Outlook: More application services will emerge.

By expanding its applications, the ETC system can extend highway‑management information terminals to vehicles, establishing a dedicated information channel between roads and vehicles and laying the groundwork for collecting operational data and delivering personalized services. This will also provide road network management with entirely new tools and platforms, driving the transformation and upgrading of highway transportation services.

Qu Zhenfu, director of the Toll Collection Center at the Shenyang Branch of Liaoning Provincial Expressway Operation Co., Ltd., said: “For example, certain sections of expressways may experience maintenance work or adverse weather conditions such as rain, snow, or fog, which can affect traffic efficiency and safety. In the future, if ETC is widely adopted, expressway operators will be able to promptly issue safety alerts to drivers. It can be said that ETC will become the only domestically available networked device tied directly to a vehicle and equipped with payment functionality. Looking ahead, ETC devices will integrate with other in‑vehicle modules—such as navigation systems, Bluetooth, and 5G—and give rise to an ever‑expanding array of application services.”