Jaguar Test-Drives Embedded Payments

Owners of a new Jaguar have an additional reason to feel superior to other drivers. Going forward, with a tap of the touchscreen on their cars’ digital dashboards, they will be able to pay for gas at UK Shell stations using either PayPal or Apple Pay.

Working collaboratively, the car manufacturer and the global fuel giant created the app-based program, which leverages geolocation technology and a cloud-based pre-payment check with the PayPal or Apple Pay wallet to make the purchases happen via the Shell App.

The app is is available for download in the UK as of today and will be introduced to other global markets as the year wears on.

When the purchase is complete, customers will see a receipt displayed on their cars’ touch screens — a digital copy can also be sent directly to a driver’s email account.

“In a world where cash is no longer king, customers are increasingly using electronic payments and contactless cards. 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,” noted Peter Virk, Jaguar Land Rover’s director of connected car and future technology.

Car payments are increasingly becoming an areas of interest for auto manufacturers looking to beef up the feature offers.  Daimler Financial Services announced plans to acquire Luxembourg-based PayCash Europe as part of its continuing efforts to build its own electronic payment service under the “Mercedes Pay” brand name. GM is collaborating with Mastercard to embed payment options in an intelligent dashboard developed by IBM Watson.

As the trend continues to roll along — pun intended — the opportunities for partnership will likely become more myriad.

Shell confirms that its intention is to digitize other services like paying for the car wash or ordering and paying for drinks from any digital screen the customer chooses.