In 2008, it was extended toward Batangas City, and in 2009, the South Luzon Expressway was connected to the STAR Tollway when construction works of the former's Toll Road 3 project reached Sto.

The STAR Tollway is considered as a separate expressway and is not named alternatively as South Superhighway (SSH) despite being connected with SLEX since 2009.

The STAR Tollway starts as the physical extension of South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) past the overpass with the abandoned Philippine National Railways (PNR) branch line to Batangas City and an access road for Light Industry and Science Park III at Santo Tomas.

Spanning 22.16 kilometers (13.77 mi),[1] the road widens for a short distance as it crosses the San Juan River and enters Tanauan, where the Sto.

Past Tanauan Exit, STAR Tollway descends on a scenic curve before ascending on approach to Malvar.

Past Lipa Exit, STAR Tollway is mostly dual carriageway, until it narrows in approach to Batangas City.

[3] It was originally named as the South Luzon Expressway Extension Project, later renamed as the Southern Tagalog Access Road in 1996.

On March 26, 2008, the second stage between Lipa and Batangas was opened to the public and inaugurated by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The travel time from Manila to Batangas City was reduced to 2 hours when STAR Tollway II opened.

The STAR Tollway Project I and II were funded by Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and implemented by the Department of Public Works and Highways – Urban Roads Project Office (DPWH – URPO).

[1] On February 9, 2004, Batangas's 3rd District Congresswoman Victoria Hernandez-Reyes authored House Bill 2753, or also known as the "Act of Renaming the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) to Apolinario Mabini Superhighway (AMS)."

On May 15, 2007, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed and approved House Bill 2753 to rename the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road to Apolinario Mabini Superhighway, after the Filipino revolutionary and Batangas native Apolinario Mabini, and it was made into a law called the Republic Act 9462 (RA 9462).

[8] On January 2, 2011, a fatal head-on collision between a jeep and a bus had occurred on an undivided two-way lane approach between Batangas City and Ibaan, resulting in the deaths of 7 people, and 4 injuries.

A 10 km (6.2 mi) extension of STAR Tollway, is proposed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Batangas as two priority projects that will benefit the province as well as Mimaropa.

[16] The whole expressway employs a closed system, where motorists are charged based on the kilometers travelled from the entry to exit point vehicle class.