Aiming to foster a new age of embedded payments, Mercedes-Benz has partnered with Mastercard to allow customers to make payments in their vehicles through a digital fingerprint.
This latest development seeks to eliminate the need to enter a pin or authenticate payments via mobile devices through a one-touch digital fingerprint payment to enhance the convenience of the in-vehicle experience.
Mercedes pay+ will leverage Mastercard’s payment technology to format vehicles into a form of payment device to be used at service stations and more, as the fingerprint sensor is integrated into the MBUX infotainment system, also capable via Mastercard debit and credit cards.
Franz Reiner, Chairman of the Board of Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG, said: “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.”
Fingerprint payment authorization represents the first use case for in-car payments at the Point-of-Sale, in addition to Mercedes-Benz as the first automaker to integrate Mastercard’s ‘Secure Card on File for Commerce’ platform into the car.
A study conducted by the German market research company GfK on behalf of Mastercard, shows that half of 18- to 39-year-olds would order and pay for services and goods directly via the infotainment display.
Those surveyed stated they would like to use in-car payment primarily for everyday car-related services, with 60% revealing they would pay their gas bill or electric vehicle charging directly from their car.
“Digital payments are coming of age, and consumers want to embrace new forms that are infused into their everyday experiences and activities,” added 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. We look forward to our continued efforts to drive further innovation in this area in Germany and around the world.”
