Mercedes-Benz has just created new technology that will make it possible to validate transactions without a PIN number or smartphone confirmation using just a fingerprint sensor that is built into the car’s interior. The objective is to make it easier to pay for car-related services.
The German automaker is the first in the world to legally and securely include this kind of payment identification in a car. At first, this new feature will only be available to German users, and it only supports Visa. Mercedes Pay+ will gradually add and activate additional card systems as it is implemented throughout Europe.
Vehicle-based two-factor biometric authentication is possible. As a result, it’s no longer necessary to authenticate a payment using a specific application or input a PIN code. All that is needed is a fingerprint. Currently, this significant innovation is only used to pay for digital services and on-demand hardware updates from the Mercedes me Store.
This could include anything that helps control the comfort of the vehicle, such as cabin climate control or seat heating. It could incorporate enhanced navigation services, for example, in terms of infotainment. This payment mechanism will eventually be expanded to other services, beginning with refueling.
The EQS and EQE series, as well as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and C-Class, are compatible car models that already include fingerprint readers.
Mercedes-Benz (like BMW) just implemented Plug & Charge technology, which allows electric vehicles to be charged without the use of a card or a smartphone application. The goal is to have nothing else to do but connect the charging terminal to the vehicle’s dedicated connection.
The vehicle is then instantly identified thanks to digitally recorded registration data. Billing occurs automatically at the end of the charging procedure via a data exchange between the automobile and the charging station.
