Mercedes-Benz teams up with Mastercard to introduce native in-car payments at the pump

Mercedes-Benz is joining forces with Mastercard to introduce embedded in-car payments at the point of sale. Customers will be able to use a fingerprint sensor in their car to make convenient and secure digital payments at more than 3,600 service stations in Germany.

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 Mercedes pay+ will turn the car into a payment device. The fingerprint sensor integrated into the MBUX infotainment system enables biometric two-factor authentication. Digital payments at service stations using the fingerprint sensor will be possible 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,[4] in turn protecting sensitive payment information.

When a driver reaches a connected service station and switches off the engine, the Mercedes me Fuel & Pay service will start automatically on the MBUX infotainment system. Once started, the driver can simply select the appropriate gas pump. Even before refueling, the system will calculate the maximum total amount based on the current fuel price and the amount of fuel when the tank is full. And, rather than authorizing the payment via a mobile device, the driver will complete their transaction seamlessly through fingerprint authentication.

After refueling, the driver will see the amount of fuel refueled and the invoice amount on the MBUX display. Payment will be made automatically, and the driver will be able to leave the gas station without having to walk to the checkout area. The invoice is then sent to the customer by e-mail.