ETC is accused of not displaying the consumption amount. What is the official response?

In the past few days, as the number of people returning home during the Spring Festival has continued to increase, a series of problems caused by high-speed ETC have also continued to ferment. According to reports, on January 16, Nanjing lawyer Cui Wu announced through his lawyer’s public account that he had filed a lawsuit against Jiangsu Tongxingbao Intelligent Transportation Technology Co., Ltd. because ETC passes at Jiangsu’s highway exits did not display the consumption amount.

"My request is to order Jiangsu Tongxingbao Intelligent Transportation Technology Co., Ltd. to stop infringing on the right to know, rectify the electronic toll collection and related systems, and to be able to immediately withdraw from the toll collection every time when passing through the ETC toll gate. The specific consumption information is available on the screen," Cui Wu said.

Since January this year, ETC exits no longer display consumption amounts on highways in many places across the country, causing dissatisfaction among many car owners. The resulting irregular charging, overcharging and congestion have occurred frequently. Many car owners have posted their encounters online, arousing widespread attention and discussion.

Lawyer Cui Wu mentioned in his civil lawsuit submitted to the Qixia District Court of Nanjing City that according to Article 8 of the "Consumer Rights and Interests Protection Law of the People's Republic of China": consumers have the right to The right to know the true status of the goods they purchase and use or the services they receive.

Jiangsu Tongxingbao Intelligent Transportation Technology Co., Ltd. is a subsidiary of Jiangsu Communications Holdings Co., Ltd. and is the only company in Jiangsu Province responsible for highway ETC business operation management, marketing promotion, technology development, product development and customer service. A specialized unit responsible for the design and management of Sutong Card electronic toll collection and intelligent transportation systems.

Therefore, Cui Wu asked the court to confirm that Jiangsu Tongxingbao Intelligent Transportation Technology Co., Ltd. violated its right to know by not immediately displaying consumption information on the electronic display at the toll gate; and ordered Jiangsu Tongxingbao Intelligent Transportation Technology Co., Ltd. immediately made rectifications so that it can obtain specific toll information from the electronic display every time it passes through the toll station.

In response to the above problems, relevant staff of the Jiangsu Provincial Expressway Network Operation Management Center, which is responsible for the toll review and settlement of Jiangsu Province’s networked expressways, stated that starting from January 1, 2020, the user will not be displayed at the ETC exclusive lane exit The total consumption amount. If users need to know the full toll fee, they can inquire through the dedicated APP. However, because the system is not yet complete, functions such as balance inquiry will not be available until February 2020.

The lawyer believes that this does not constitute a reason to infringe on consumer rights, because in addition to system display, consumers can be notified through text messages, WeChat, etc.

The problem with ETC is not only that the toll amount is not displayed, but also car owners reported that after installing ETC, the tolls became more expensive than before. After getting on the expressway, the fees were deducted by a few yuan, and notifications were delayed. Some charge notifications are not even received by users until several days later. Users cannot figure out the densely packed bills, which is completely confusing.

It is reported that as the problems increase, many car owners have expressed that they want to stop using ETC and switch to manual channels. At least they can know the cost when paying. Regarding the issue of high-speed ETC charging, CCTV news anchor Kang Hui said that not installing ETC is also an option. Just as electronic payment has become mainstream now, cash cannot be refused. As for confirming overcharges, refunding the money is obviously basic, but this may not be enough, because such a situation will inevitably cause trouble and affect people's confidence in ETC. My heart is congested, and the road may not be smooth. In places where there are many complaints, it is necessary to conduct a "CT" for the ETC system there to clarify, explain and solve the problems. Just like electronic payment, the account is clear and can be checked at any time. Technology is to serve people, and it cannot create obstacles for people, nor can it create obstacles artificially. Only if more car owners have confidence in ETC can ETC truly make traffic easier and more satisfying.

This article comes from the author of Autohome Chejiahao and does not represent the views and positions of Autohome.