Today’s infotainment systems will tell you everything from how long it will take you get home to where the cheapest gas prices are located. Now, if you drive a Jaguar, it’ll even pay for the gas once you get there.
A new partnership between Jaguar and Shell allows drivers with the luxury brand’s InControl infotainment system to pay for gas without ever busting out a credit card or cash.
“In a world where cash is no longer king, customers are increasingly using electronic payments and contactless cards,” said Peter Virk, Jaguar Land Rover’s director of Connected Car and Future Technology.
“Making a payment directly from a car’s touchscreen will make refueling quicker and easier. With this new system you can choose any pump at the gas station and pay for the fuel even if you’ve forgotten your wallet or can’t find your credit or debit card.”
All that’s missing is someone pumping the gas for you – although New Jersey residents have that covered – to make it a dream scenario. However, in this case you’ll also need an Apple Pay or PayPal account and a phone with the Shell app on it.
(Jaguar’s legendary XKSS comes back to life. Click Here for the story.)
And a Shell station, of course. Don’t worry, Android folks, Android Pay will be an option later this year.
How does it work? Pull up to a Shell station and launch the Shell app through the touchscreen, the car will use geolocation to figure out which station you’re at and then prompt you to enter the pump number you plan to use.
Next, tell the system how much fuel you want and pump. A receipt is shown on the in-car screen and is also emailed to you. The Shell app with in-car cashless payments will be available to download by users in the U.K. from Feb. 15 and will be rolled out to additional markets, including the United States, throughout 2017.
(Jaguar electrifies with I-Pace Concept. Click Here to check it out.)
Although it may seem a bit much, there is a security element involved in this. Cardless technology puts an extra level of security between you and unsavory characters looking to get at your credit card number.
Card skimmers really like to frequent gas stations, where its quicker to get that information. Without question, Virk notes that it adds to the overall “luxury” experience Jaguar buyers pay big bucks for — Land Rover owners too.
“We are working with leaders in e-commerce such as Shell to enable our customers to enjoy cashless motoring via their car’s touchscreen,” he said. “Whether it’s paying for fuel, parking, tolls, or even at a drive-through restaurant, the aim of cashless motoring is to make life easier for our customers.
(For more on the Jaguar XKSS project, Click Here.)
“Our technology allows users to put their phone away out of sight and use it via the touchscreen in the car, because as the car becomes more connected to the Internet of Things we will always be guided by what is appropriate and safe to do while driving. So in-car payments would only be enabled when it is safe to do so, preventing unnecessary driver distractions.”
