Mercedes-Benz customers in Germany can now start the fuelling process directly from their vehicle and pay digitally by fingerprint. Eliminating the need to enter a PIN or authenticate via mobile device, drivers can now leverage convenient payments to enhance the in-vehicle experience.
The native in-car payment service via Mercedes pay+ will turn the car into a form of payment device and can be used to make payments at service stations using the fingerprint sensor integrated into the MBUX infotainment system. This is now live with Mastercard debit and credit cards in current Mercedes-Benz models.
Fingerprint payment authorization at a gas station represents the first use case for native in-car payments at the point of sale, in addition to Mercedes-Benz as the world's first automaker to integrate Mastercard's Secure Card on File for Commerce platform into the car. This technology allows for transaction data to be encrypted using uniquely assigned cryptograms, in turn protecting sensitive payment information.
"With Mercedes pay+, we are making everyday life easier for our customers. From now on, they can pay their fuel bill directly from their car using their fingerprint - simply, securely, and conveniently. An intuitive payment process and a best- in-class customer experience lay the foundation for the success of digital offerings. We are pioneers in native in-car payment and are already working on the integration of further services," said Franz Reiner, Chairman of the Board of Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG.
A study conducted by the German market research company GfK on behalf of Mastercard shows that around half of 18- to 39-year-olds would order and pay for services and goods directly via the infotainment display. The proponents would like to use in-car payment primarily for everyday car-related services: 60 percent would pay their gas bill or electric vehicle charging directly via the car.
"Digital payments are coming of age, and consumers want to embrace new forms that are infused into their everyday experiences and activities,” said Jorn Lambert, Chief Digital Officer at Mastercard. “Through our dynamic payments technology, we are proud to work hand in hand with Mercedes-Benz to bring safer, smarter, and more intelligent commerce experiences to its vehicles."
Emerging Payments Analyst Christopher Miller, Javelin added, “This joint effort between Mastercard and Mercedes-Benz to enable native in-car payments for fueling is an example of a real-world step towards a more seamless and integrated payments ecosystem that brings together consumer need, the right data, and payment credentials to reduce payment friction while retaining payment security. The announcement highlights the importance of payments experiences that are truly integrated from end-to-end – from authentication hardware in the vehicle, to calculation of fuel costs and needs, to email delivery of receipts. Payment flows that are truly differentiated will persuade consumers to adopt emerging technologies such as pay-by-car. Delivering on these types of experiences requires partners with the capability to coordinate all of these different components into something that is easy for consumers to both use and understand.”
