Mercedes adds fingerprint recognition for in-car payments
From spring 2022, Visa’s technology will allow Mercedes-Benz customers in Europe to pay for goods and services by using their fingerprint in the car.
Purchases can then be made directly through the car’s head unit, or MBUX. The solution is anticipated to be available in other markets globally at a later stage.
In-car commerce has become an integral aspect of the luxury customer experience. For example, Daimler Mobility’s global payment platform called Mercedes pay enables customers to buy goods and services directly in their car, including Mercedes me services, as well as for other use cases such as fuelling and parking.
Daimler will be the first-ever automotive company in the world to incorporate the Visa Cloud Token Framework into its vehicles. Visa’s Cloud Token Framework is a cloud-based security technology that allows more flexibility across multiple devices as Visa Cloud Tokens protect and remove sensitive payment information by converting data and storing it securely.
Says Antony Cahill, Deputy CEO and Head of European Markets, at Visa in Europe:
“We are excited to bring to life a native solution for in-car payments for the first time, together with our partner Daimler Mobility. It is significant that both the successful pilot testing and initial launch activities are taking place in Europe, a world-leading hub for payments and automotive innovation.
“This is a powerful example of how the world’s leader in digital payments and the inventor of the automobile are able to combine their technologies to create the next generation of smart solutions for the automobility sector, providing the driver and passengers with a completely new in-car connected commerce experience.”
Adds Franz Reiner, Chief Executive Officer, Daimler Mobility:
“Mercedes pay is our competence centre for in-car payment, through which we offer our customers worldwide digital services seamlessly integrated within the Mercedes-Benz ecosystem. In partnership with Visa, Daimler aims to offer native in-car payments that meets the requirements of two-factor authentication in a secure and user-friendly way. There is nothing more convenient than authorising a payment with your fingerprint.”
In the next two years, the number of connected cars is estimated to increase to more than 352 million worldwide and the total volume of in-car payments is set to reach approximately $86 billion by 2025. Mobility trends like electric vehicles, car sharing, autonomous driving and connected cars are increasing the demand for innovative payment methods within the vehicle itself.
