General Motors has announced that drivers of several of the GM brands of autos will now find it easier to fuel their cars and their mornings. As engineers work diligently to make self-driving cars a reality, there’s another league of drawing-board dreamers who have devised a way for you to pay for your coffee and doughnuts, as well as gas for your vehicle, without leaving the seat of said automobile. Sure, there’s no way to fill the car without leaving your seat (unless you live in New Jersey, Oregon or the station is one of those who still offer full-service) but with GM’s new Marketplace, you can pay for those items without swiping a card or punching a PIN. Check out the video below to see how it works.
Santiago Chamorro, vice president for Global Connected Customer Experience, GM says, “Marketplace is the first of a suite of new personalization features that we will roll out over the next 12 to 18 months to nearly four million U.S. drivers.” GM is adding Marketplace to millions of existing 2017 and 2018 model-year cars, trucks and crossovers that have compatible infotainment systems, with continued rollout to compatible new vehicles.
Marketplace is designed to be used while driving. It leverages machine learning from real-time interaction data, such as location, time of day and a driver’s established digital relationship with third-party merchants, to offer highly personalized experiences. The first brands available through Marketplace include: GM, Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts, Wingstop, TGI Fridays, Shell, ExxonMobil, Priceline.com, Parkopedia, Applebee’s, IHOP and delivery.com.
Customers using this payment option will simply make a few selections on the vehicle’s touchscreen and a three-digit code will be generated that allows the user to activate a specific pump and start fueling. The amount due is then automatically charged to the customer’s payment method of choice, be that credit or debit or directly to their checking account. All of this is done without swiping a credit card or using a mobile device and Fuel Rewards® savings are automatically applied without the need to use a loyalty card.
As part of the launch of in-dash fuel payment, customers driving eligible Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles can earn a one-time discount of 25c/gallon in Fuel Rewards® savings*, up to 20 gallons, on their next single fueling transaction after they sign up and use Shell Pay & Save within Marketplace and make a purchase of at least five gallons. Plus, these customers can earn an extra 5c/gallon in Fuel Rewards® savings*, up to 20 gallons, after each fuel purchase of at least five gallons on every fill-up through December 31, 2018.