South African bank Absa has joined BP's FuelMaster Express programme, a smart card system developed by On Track Innovations (OTI) that allows customers to make contactless and paperless payments at the petrol pump.
OTI's fuel management system, branded as Fuelmaster by BP, allows Absa's garage account customers to re-fuel without the use of cash or a card. Customers are issued with a personalised smart tag that electronically identifies them at the pump and only allows designated vehicles to be re-fuelled. The tag system automatically debits customer's accounts with the cost of the transaction.
FuelMaster Express was originally launched in conjunction with Standard Bank for fleet operations, but is now aimed at the private motorist.
Absa's 400,000 garage account customers will be issued with FuelMaster Express key rings, which can be used to pay for gas at both BP and Exel sites. OTI says the system will also be used for toll payments, in-store purchases and loyalty programmes in the future.
BP's Fuelmaster is used by almost 500 petrol stations across South Africa.