The product of a joint initiative between the car manufacturer and oil giant, the Shell app - which uses geolocation technology and a cloud based pre-payment check with the PayPal or Apple Pay wallet - is available to download in the UK today and will be rolled out to additional markets globally during 2017.

Drivers who install the app can drive up to any pump at a participating Shell service station in the UK and use the vehicle’s touchscreen to select how much fuel they require and pay using PayPal or Apple Pay. Android Pay will be added later in 2017.

An electronic receipt will be displayed on the touchscreen, and can also be sent directly from the pump to the driver’s email address so it can be added to accounting or expenses software.



Peter Virk, Jaguar Land Rover's director of connected car and future technology, says: “In a world where cash is no longer king, customers are increasingly using electronic payments and contactless cards. Making a payment directly from a car’s touchscreen will make refuelling quicker and easier. With this new system you can choose any pump on the forecourt and pay for the fuel even if you’ve forgotten your wallet or can’t find your credit or debit card.”

Tata-owned Jaguar is not alone in pursuing the in-car payment experience. Earlier this year, Daimler Financial Services announced plans to acquire Luxembourg-based e-money institution PayCash Europe as part of a programme to build its own electronic payment service using the 'Mercedes pay' brand name. General Motors too is working to embed Mastercard as a payment option in an intelligent dashboard developed by IBM Watson, while Visa has collaborated with Accenture and Pizza Hut to test the use of onboard mobile and online commerce for car drivers.

As the car becomes more connected to the Internet of Things, Shell says it is looking to digitise other services like paying for the car wash or ordering and paying for drinks from any digital screen the customer chooses