Car maker Jaguar has announced new connected car technology which allows drivers to pay for fuel via their car’s touchscreen.
The Shell app with in-car cashless payments is one of several new updates for Jaguar’s XE, XF and F-PACE models, and it will also become available across the entire Jaguar and Land Rover ranges.
Rather than using a credit or debit card at the pump, or paying in the forecourt shop, owners who install the app can simply drive up to any pump at a Shell service station in the UK and use the vehicle’s touchscreen to select how much fuel they require (up to £150 per transaction) and then pay using PayPal or Apple Pay. Android Pay will be added later in 2017.
An electronic receipt will be displayed on the touchscreen, confirming that payment has been made, and a receipt will also be sent directly from the pump to the driver’s email address so it can be added to accounting or expenses software.
According to Jaguar, the app is the world’s first in-car payment system. It uses geolocation technology and a cloud-based pre-payment check with the PayPal or Apple Pay wallet.
“In a world where cash is no longer king, customers are increasingly using electronic payments and contactless cards,” commented Peter Virk, director of Connected Car and Future Technology at Jaguar. “Making a payment directly from a car’s touchscreen will make refuelling quicker and easier. With this new system you can choose any pump on the forecourt and pay for the fuel even if you’ve forgotten your wallet or can’t find your credit or debit card. You will save time because there’s no more queuing to pay in a shop, and for drivers with children, it won’t be necessary to wake them up, or unstrap them from their seats to take them into the shop. Expenses and tax returns will also be made much simpler, with no receipts to lose as these will all be sent electronically.”
