Today’s vehicles are almost unrecognizable when compared to those of the past; more akin to piloting a wheeled computer than driving a car. Brakes can apply themselves, head units have upgraded to touch screens, and we can even get localized weather updates as we travel across the country. In the age of always-on connectivity, cars have evolved to be smart devices in and of themselves.
That evolution is opening up potential in areas all across the motor vehicle industry; perhaps nowhere more so than in-vehicle commerce. Transponders have been used to pay for tolls for years now, but cars as smart devices will soon be able to trigger toll payment themselves, leading to less traffic congestion at tolls, less time to perform transactions, and less paperwork. This is consistent with ongoing consumer preferences to simplify everyday tasks and recover more time for other commitments.
The Coronavirus pandemic shifted and invigorated consumer behaviors nearly overnight, and the motor vehicle industry is eager to stay apace. Contactless payment, an already-popular consumer trend prior to lockdown, significantly accelerated. In a recent global study conducted by Visa Inc., 54% of customers said they would change providers if they learned one was implementing new contactless payment options over one who wasn’t. As a result, in that same study, 20% of small and medium sized businesses claim they’ve implemented contactless capabilities since the start of the pandemic.
Aftermarket solutions that migrate the experience from the phone to in-vehicle have been the first to find the most success.
PayTollo, SiriusXM Connected Vehicle Services’ (SiriusXM CV) tolling platform, already offers a multi-state electronic tolling solution via its app, giving drivers a real-time view of their tolling interactions. And, as the technology continues to evolve, it’s opening up new ways to embed the on-the-road payment process even deeper into the in-vehicle experience.
As part of our in-vehicle commerce platform, SiriusXM CV is equipping intelligent and internet-capable vehicles with GPS toll recognition algorithms to power personalized and secure transactions. Unlike traditional tolling accounts, the driver will receive confirmation and a receipt via the head unit promptly after the transaction, reducing time to finalize a transaction to seconds (as opposed to weeks in the mail).
The future of tolling is already here, and it’s leading the charge in revolutionizing the entire in-vehicle commerce experience. Soon, drivers will be able to venture out on a toll road, fill up their tank, pick up coffee and get parking space, all without pulling out their wallet or phone. Their car will be a secure, intelligent payment platform that can handle each transaction right from their head unit—to say nothing of coordinating emergency response and connected services.
Contactless in-vehicle payment is coming. The only question is: are your vehicles ready?
To learn more about how the SiriusXM CV ecommerce platform can benefit your customers, connect here.
Disclosure: Studies referenced above are informational purposes only; and references do not constitute an endorsement or an approval by such entities of any of the products or services of Sirius XM Connected Vehicle.