Skoda has launched a new ‘Pay to Fuel’ digital service that lets drivers pay for fuel from within their cars, using the vehicle’s infotainment system. The idea behind the concept is to make refuelling quicker. It has been launched in collaboration with Parkopedia, a UK-based connected car services provider in more than 90 countries and Skoda’s existing partner for its ‘Pay to Park’ service, MasterCard, and German FinTech firm ryd. The service has been rolled out in six European countries – Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Luxembourg, Austria, and Switzerland. Portugal, Spain and the Czech Republic are also likely to get the service soon.
In terms of vehicle compatibility, Pay to Fuel is available for all Skoda internal combustion engine (ICE) models sold in Europe. They should be fitted with the brand’s Amundsen or Columbus infotainment systems (with a touchscreen of 9.2 inches or larger). However, systems not running on the latest updates may require an OS update to use the feature. In addition, the service also requires a subscription to a Skoda Connect account with the Remote Access feature enabled.
To start using Pay to Fuel, users need to enter and verify their payment card once using the MySkoda smartphone app. The in-car navigation lists all the fuel stations that support Pay to Fuel. The driver can choose any of them and the vehicle automatically recognises the station upon arrival. Once there, the driver has to input the pump number after confirming the station on the vehicle’s display. After refuelling, the amount is confirmed on the infotainment screen, and the system processes the payment via the card (debit/credit) already added to the MySkoda app. A transaction notification on the vehicle screen and the phone’s app screen confirms the process completion.
Not too long ago, German carmaker Mercedes-Benz also launched its in-car digital payment service, dubbed ‘Mercedes me Fuel & Pay’, in collaboration with MasterCard. While both systems work on the same principle, Merc’s system also offers compatibility for Visa payment cards and fingerprint authentication for payments. However, the Mercedes me Fuel & Pay is only available in Germany.