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Gridserve will open more than 20 ‘electric hubs’, each featuring 6-12 x 350kW ultra high-power electric vehicle (EV) charge points with contactless payment, at motorway service stations across the UK by Q2 2022.

The majority should be installed by the end of March, with a further 50 additional electric hub sites set to follow. 

Two Electric Forecourts situated adjacent to major transport routes and motorways, including a flagship site at Gatwick Airport and Norwich, are also in construction, due to open in 2022.

Several additional Electric Forecourt sites now also have planning permission including Uckfield, Gateshead, Plymouth and Bromborough, with more than 30 additional sites also under development as part of the company’s commitment to deliver over 100 Electric Forecourts.

Toddington Harper, CEO of Gridserve, said: “Our mission is to deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on climate change, and that is exactly what we are doing – delivering.

“Getting people into electric vehicles is a big part of our vision but to do that charging has to be simple and free of anxiety, which is why we’ve designed our network entirely around the needs of drivers, listening to our customers’ needs and providing the best possible level of customer service to deliver the confidence people need to make the switch to electric transport today, eight-years ahead of the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars.”

Gridserve says it wants to revolutionise EV charging across the UK, following the acquisition of Ecotricity’s Electric Highway network in June.

Some of the Electric Hubs are also located in areas traditionally left behind in the EV transition, including Wales and Cornwall, helping to deliver its vision of giving drivers everywhere the confidence to go electric well ahead of the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars.

Since the acquisition, Gridserve has invested tens of millions of pounds in the network to develop the new Electric Hubs, replace the 300+ existing motorway chargers it inherited from Ecotricity, and install 130 additional AC chargers to cater for all types of EVs.

The two new Electric Forecourts for Gatwick and Norwich will follow Gridserve’s blueprint of the world’s first Electric Forecourt in Braintree, Essex.

Gatwick Electric Forecourt

Developed in partnership with Gatwick Airport, the Gatwick Electric Forecourt will be a flagship site, serving passengers, commuters, staff, local residents and businesses that pass through the airport and its surrounding motorway network each year.

Located on the Ring Road South approach to Gatwick’s South Terminal and adjacent to the M23 – it will enable 36 EVs to be charged simultaneously, with high-power chargers that can deliver up to 350kW of charging power, capable of adding 100 miles of range in less than 10 minutes. Multiple charging connectors will cater for all types of electric cars.

The site is due to open in autumn 2022 and will host a café, waiting lounge with free superfast WiFi, convenience supermarket, children’s play area and a dedicated educational space to increase awareness around electric vehicles.

Harper said: “Gatwick isn’t just an airport, it’s an ecosystem of commuters, travellers, staff, taxi drivers, car rental companies, local residents and businesses, all culminating in a transport hub that hosts tens of millions of drivers every single year.

“The Gatwick Electric Forecourt will give these drivers and businesses the confidence to switch away from petrol and diesel cars, making electric journeys to and from one of the country’s most important transport hubs straightforward and sustainable.”

Jonathan Pollard, chief commercial officer, Gatwick Airport, said: “Our new high-powered charging facility will help meet the increasing need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the airport, including the growing number of our passengers who own electric vehicles and need fast, convenient and effective charging facilities.

“The new charging infrastructure will also benefit people right across our community, including thousands of staff who live locally, businesses looking to introduce electric vehicle fleets – even those operating buses and trucks – and also local residents who may be considering buying an electric-powered car but were undecided due to the lack of charging facilities.”

The Norwich Electric Forecourt, which is nearing the end of its construction, and scheduled to open in April 2022, will mirror the set up at Gatwick.

David Hall, VP Power Systems UK and Ireland for Schneider Electric, says the announcement from Gridserve will help “unleash” the potential of EVs by reducing fears of range anxiety.

“To support the growth of adoption in electric mobility, which is crucial to achieving ambitious targets to reduce global CO2 emissions, we need readily available infrastructure to support EVs and to ensure the electric revolution is renewable, plentiful, and affordable,” said Hall. “It is also a significant opportunity to rebuild the UK economy with climate action at its core.

“The UK already has more EV charging points than petrol stations, and one in ten new vehicles sold is an EV.  Businesses and transport companies are increasingly playing their part by switching to low carbon, net zero fleets for cars, trucks, and buses, which will be essential for cutting their carbon footprints. We hope that this announcement will encourage those who were holding back to make the switch and come along for the ride.

“As the popularity of electric vehicles increases, we need to ensure that electric or hybrid vehicles are low-emission, the energy grid needs to be powered by a much higher percentage of renewables. This transition will bring additional consumer demand, effectively bringing the concept of net zero transportation to life.”

Gridserve’s latest sites:

Electric Hubs

• Currently in construction: Swansea (Moto), Heston West (Moto), Severn View (Moto), Wetherby (Moto), Burton in Kendall (Moto), Exeter (Moto), Woolley Edge North (Moto), Woolley Edge South (Moto), Thurrock (Moto), Leigh Delamere Westbound (Moto), Reading West (Moto).

• Entering construction early next year: Reading East (Moto), Grantham North (Moto), Scotch Corner (Moto), Washington North (Moto), Washington South (Moto), Cornwall Services, Annandale (Roadchef), Magor (Roadchef), Rownhams North (Roadchef), Durham (Roadchef), Watford Gap North (Roadchef), Watford Gap South (Roadchef), Northampton North (Roadchef), Northampton South (Roadchef), Strensham North (Roadchef), Strensham South (Roadchef)

Electric Forecourts

• Currently in construction: Norwich Electric Forecourt (opening April 2022), Gatwick Electric Forecourt (opening Autumn 2022).
• Planning permission secured: Uckfield, Gateshead, Plymouth, Bromborough.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Used vehicle values are unlikely to return to pre-pandemic levels, despite a softening of the market this month.

According to Philip Nothard, insight and strategy director at Cox Automotive, wholesale vehicle values will show signs of stabilisation throughout mid-2022 as the market attempts to get back to some form of normality.

However, the coronavirus pandemic has rapidly accelerated the online and digital marketplace to what existed two years ago. As a result, it’s also entirely possible that a new benchmark for used vehicle values has been reached that may never dip to pre-pandemic levels.

Nothard warns that there is no “tsunami of used stock” on the horizon, and an increased focus on the detail will be required as the shape of the market evolves.

It also can’t be ignored that around 1.4 million new vehicles have been lost from the market, which will never enter the used vehicle parc. Although the impact in the sub-12-month market has been felt already, it will without a doubt have a bearing on the sector for years to come, according to Nothard.

November saw a slight easing month-on-month in the sector, with marginal falls observed by Cox Automotive, continuing a trend first observed in October’s results.

Last month’s average first-time conversion decreased by 6% to 82.9% month-on-month. Similarly, CAP Clean experienced a marginal month-on-month fall of 2%, to 97.3%. This easing resulted in a lowering of both the average age and mileage of vehicles observed through the Manheim lanes. 

The average age of cars sold also slightly decreased by 5.6% to 97 months, and the average mileage of cars sold, decreased by 4.3% and down by 2,987 miles to 66,343 miles.

Despite four key indicators experiencing month-on-month falls, used car values continued to rise, with the average sale price experiencing one of the largest month-on-month increases of 16.8% or £1,129, to £8,553.

Nothard said: “While prices have now increased for eight consecutive months, recent signs point towards a potential softening in the market. And while it remains the case that prices overall have continued to rise, the situation is becoming increasingly complex, with some models starting to see significant price decreases.

Moreover, some figures we’ve observed are misleading, as it doesn’t represent live market data where many models that saw an increase at the start of the month, which dropped off by the end.

“We expect current market conditions to continue throughout Q1 2022, and it’s entirely possible that we are seeing a revised benchmark for the used vehicle parc.”

Used car values reached the second highest on record at BCA in October with the average car selling for £3,000 more than a year ago.

October used car values averaged £11,295 at BCA, maintaining the pattern of consistently high average used car values this year. Year-on-year, average monthly values are up 38.6%. By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The leasing industry has grown in the past five years, with private ownership falling in Europe from 53% of total market in 2013, down to 42% in 2021, according to research by Jato Dynamics.

The report, ‘An industry in flux: Leasing in the automated age’, showed that leasing has gained popularity – it is estimated that five million vehicles were leased in the UK, last year – with 1.9 million of those being individual or personal contracts.

Separate research from Fleet News recently showed that, after two consecutive years of decline, the FN50 – the UK’s top 50 leasing companies by risk fleet size – had stabilised over the past 12 months with a slight rise in the number of funded cars and vans to 1,663,421 (up by 1,101 units).

Jato said the rise in demand for leasing can be explained by evolving priorities for consumers – where individuals previously thought it was important to own a car, perceptions have shifted where the focus is now on the usage of a vehicle.

David Krajicek, chief executive officer at Jato Dynamics, said: “The leasing sector has evolved significantly in recent years.

“Impacted by many factors – such as technological advances, digitalisation, and changing consumer priorities – OEMs and leasing companies must now ensure they shift away from manual processes and adapt to changing customers’ wants and expectations.

“Those that fail to respond to this evolution risk damaging business relationships, sales prospects, and their chances to succeed in the increasingly competitive market.”

Leasing rather than ownerships poses benefits including lower maintenance costs, greater flexibility and the ability to upgrade to new models and technology – which is important as consumers now expect to consistently access new products and services, according to Jato.

Research from Salesforce found that three quarters (75%) of consumers’ site search queries are new each month. The growing desire for new products and features can be linked to the rise in popularity for leasing subscriptions, rather than committing to one, single vehicle for several years, said Jato.

In 2020, 72% of customers expected to be able to apply for a leasing contract entirely online, according to reserach by Capgemini. Jato said the research highlights that automation has a role to play in the automotive sales processes.

With the leasing marketing growing, creating a seamless customer experience through digitalisation and automation will be the ‘vital’ next step for OEMs and leasing service providers to accelerate their sales and profit margins, Jato said.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Geotab has formed a partnership with Camera Telematics to help tackle vehicle insurance fraud with the Street Angel Solution on the Geotab Marketplace.

Street Angel offers the tracking functionality with on-board vehicle camera solutions available. It has multiple functions available in one device, including track and trace, 4G data transfer and 1080p high-quality recording.

Geotab said Street Angel provides a scalable link to up to five cameras, and with a monitor, can provide blind-spot and reversing assistance.

It can also provide first notice of loss (FNOL) reports direct to insurance companies and when a roadside incident or accident occurs, Street Angel provides visual evidence to help protect Geotab from insurance fraud and accident management assistance.

David Savage, vice president UK and Ireland at Geotab, said: “As a company dedicated to improving driver safety, Geotab is committed to offering the most advanced solutions on the Geotab Marketplace.

“We are excited to collaborate with Camera Telematics to provide our customers with more customisation options and so that they can benefit from advanced camera technology that can help them better manage roadside incidents and accidents.”

The Geotab Marketplace provides customers with an ecosystem of business-focused applications and add-ons.

Mark Stamper, managing director at Camera Telematics, said: “We are delighted to announce this partnership and working with Geotab raises our profile throughout the countries in which they operate, to further expand our customer base whilst delivering enhanced services into the Geotab ecosystem.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

New figures show that there were 28,375 public electric vehicle charging devices available in the UK as of January 1.

Of the total devices available, 5,156 were rapid chargers.

Compared to October 1, 2021, it means that available devices increased by 2,448, an increase of 9%, while rapid devices increased by 233, up 5%.

There was an increase in total and rapid devices across all regions of the UK.

In the past year, the number of public devices has increased by 37%, corresponding to 7,600 devices.

The number of rapid devices increased by 33%, with an additional 1,276 public devices.

Regional distribution of charging devices

The data, however, points to an uneven geographical distribution of charging devices within the UK.

Some UK local authorities have bid for UK Government funding for charging devices, and others have not.

Most of the provision of this infrastructure has been market-led, with individual charging networks and other businesses (such as hotels) choosing where to install devices.

London and Scotland had the highest level of charging provision per 100,000 of population, with 102 and 52 devices per 100,000 respectively. In comparison, the average provision in the UK was 42 per 100,000.

Northern Ireland had the lowest level of charging device provision in the UK, with 18 devices per 100,000, followed by the North West and Yorkshire and the Humber with 24 and 26 devices per 100,000 respectively.

Scotland had the highest rate of rapid device provision of 12.9 rapid devices per 100,000, while the average provision in the UK was 7.7 per 100,000.

Rapid device provision was lowest for Northern Ireland and Wales, with 1.2 and 5.3 rapid devices per 100,000 respectively. An interactive map of this data is available.

All regions across the UK saw an increase in total charging devices between October 1, 2021 and January 1.

London had the greatest increase at 16.4%, whilst Northern Ireland and the North West had the smallest increases at 3.9% and 4.6% respectively.

London also had the greatest increase in absolute number of devices at 1,292 devices, contributing to more than half of the increase in devices across the UK.

Meanwhile, rapid charging devices have increased in every region in the UK.

The smallest percentage increase in the number of rapid devices was in the North East at 0.4%.

East Midlands had the largest percentage increase in rapid devices at 7.5%, corresponding to an increase of 26 rapid devices.

Ben Foulser, head of future mobility at KPMG UK, said: “As electric vehicle adoption rises, it’s encouraging to see more public charging points installed. But there’s no doubt that the pace of delivery will have to increase in order to both cope with the demand of the coming years, and to convince others to transition to EVs.

“It’s also vital that any use of public funding to de-risk investment by the private sector is targeted and successful.

“This includes development of commercially attractive portfolios that incorporate rural and smaller sites, enabling a just transition to zero emission mobility across the UK.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) grant will not be open to many homeowners in the UK from April 2022.

The change means those who live in single-unit properties (such as bungalows and detached, semi-detached or terraced housing) will no longer benefit from having up to 75% (to a maximum of £350) removed from the price of having a domestic charge point (wall charging unit) installed.

However, the scheme will remain open to homeowners who live in flats and those in rental accommodation (flats and single-use properties). The government’s ‘Transitioning to zero emission cars and vans: 2035 delivery plan’, said it would ‘shift the support of the EVHS to focus on leaseholders, renters and those living in flats from April 2022’.

The same plan also said the government was committed ‘to fund EVHS until at least 2024/25’. Residents in Scotland can currently benefit from an additional £250-£350 of charge point funding on top of the EVHS grant, provided by the Energy Saving Trust.

The Scottish Government is yet to make a decision on whether those who lose access to the EVHS grant in Scotland will also lose access to the additional funding provided by the Energy Saving Trust.

If the decision is made to remove access to funds, it will mean Scottish residents will have to pay up to an additional £600 to £700 to buy and install their wall charging unit.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are currently consulting on policy options for the installation of electric vehicle charge point sockets in a number of different building types.

This includes setting a national minimum requirement for 7kw charge points for every new home with access to a parking space. “We aim to publish a consultation response early next year and go to Parliament with the subsequent draft legislation later in 2022.”

Impact of removing the EVHS

Being able to charge at home is the most convenient and cost-efficient way to charge an electric car. A recent Which? survey* found that 96% of electric car and plug-in hybrid owners currently have the ability to charge from home.

Our figures show that to cover 9,000 miles (the average pre-covid mileage from our annual car survey), it would cost you between £500 and £830 a year if charging at home depending on the size of the car and how energy efficient it is.

That’s based on paying 21p per kWh. By removing this grant from homeowners, the government has added a substantial amount to the annual running costs of an electric car.

Charging using public infrastructure can be a lot more costly (although some charge points are free). The fastest charge points can be so expensive that it becomes more costly than filling a petrol or diesel car. See our guide on how much it costs to charge an electric car for more information.

Do I really need a wall charging unit?

If you have an electric car, having a wall charger/wall charging unit at home will significantly speed up the electric car charging process.

Taking the popular Kia e-Niro (2019-) as an example, its 64kWh battery would take: 9hrs 35mins to charge using a 7.2kW domestic charger 29 hours to charge using a three-pin connection

In a recent Which? survey*, one in five (21%) current electric car and plug-in hybrid owners we spoke to said they charge using a three-pin plug at home, while 72% use a wall charger.

What should I do if I’m affected?

The EVHS will be removed for single-unit homeowners as of April 2022. If you fall into this group and you have recently purchased an electric car or plan to soon, you can still benefit from the grant, but you’ll need to have the wall charge unit installed by 31 March 2022.

Those wanting a wall charging unit installed before April 2022 can expect to pay between £450 and £1,200 (that’s with the existing grant applied). The difference in cost is largely down to the amount of power the charger can supply.

The most affordable are 3.6kW chargers, while 22kW chargers are the most expensive and in excess to most people’s need or energy supply. Some units come with the option of a longer cable, which also adds cost.

For most, we recommend 7kW chargers – these cost around £500 to £700 to buy and install with the EVHS grant applied. To get the EVHS grant, the wall charging unit has to be installed by a supplier approved by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV). They will be able to claim for the grant on your behalf.

There are several other conditions that need to be met to qualify for the grant. See our guide to how to charge an electric car at home for more information. *Figures from the 2021 Which? car survey (UK survey in field from April 2021 – June 2021).

48,034 owners told us about 56,853 cars they own, of which 3,056 electric car and plug-in hybrid owners answered a question about where and how they charge their car.

By Graham Hill thanks to Which Magazine

A hydrogen storage project near Glasgow has received £9.4m in government funding to help drive progress towards decarbonising the UK transport sector.

The investment will see the Whitelee green hydrogen project develop an electrolyser, a system which converts water into hydrogen gas to store energy.

It will be located alongside Scottish Power’s Whitelee Windfarm and will produce and store hydrogen to supply local transport providers with zero-carbon fuel.

Greg Hands, energy and climate change minister, said: “Projects like these will be vital as we shift to a green electricity grid, helping us get the full benefit from our world-class renewables, supporting the UK as we work to eliminate the UK’s contribution to climate change.”

Developed by ITM Power, who manufactureres integrated hydrogen energy solutions for grid balancing and BOC, in conjunction with Scottish Power’s Hydrogen division, the facility will be able to produce enough green hydrogen per day – 2.5 to 4 tonnes – that, once stored, could provide the equivalent of enough zero-carbon fuel for 225 buses travelling to and from Glasgow and Edinburgh, each day.

The announcement follows the COP26 climate summit held in Glasgow, on October 31 – November 13, 2021.

Barry Carruthers, Scottish Power hydrogen director, said: “This blend of renewable electricity generation and green hydrogen production promises to highlight the multiple ways in which society can decarbonise by using these technologies here and now.”

The funding under the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, will see the British Standards Institution (BSI) develop technical standards for hydrogen products, and a consortium comprising Energy and Utility Skills and the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers, will establish new standards and training specifications to facilitate the training of hydrogen gas installers.

Jim Mercer, business president, at BOC UK & Ireland, said: “The project will accelerate development across multiple disciplines – from production and storage, to transportation and end use.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that there will be no congestion charge after 6pm from February 21.

Operating hours on weekends and bank holidays will also be reduced from 12pm to 6pm. The current charge level of £15, however, will be retained after it was raised from £11.50 during the pandemic.

Natalie Chapman, Logistics UK’s head of policy for the South, welcomed the announcement confirming the operational hours of the Congestion Charge will revert back to the original weekday timings.

“This will provide additional flexibility to retime deliveries to less congested times with the potential to reduce emissions, improve the safety of vulnerable road users and increase operational efficiency,” she said.

“However, Logistics UK is disappointed that the charges will apply on weekends and bank holidays, and that the £15 charge level will be retained, but the fleet autopay discount removed.

“This simply amounts to an additional tax for logistics businesses who currently have little alternative but to use lorries and vans to keep London stocked with all the goods the population needs.”

TfL launched a consultation on the congestion charge in July, after the hours of operation were extended in June 2020 when the Government had to bail out TfL after a financial crisis caused by the onset of the pandemic.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, defended the changes, saying they “strike a balance” between reducing traffic and congestion and supporting London’s economy and residents.

He explained: “The removal of the evening charge will support the capital’s culture, hospitality and night-time businesses which have struggled so much, as well as encouraging people to walk, cycle and use public transport.

“It’s vital we do not encourage a car-led recovery and replace one public health crisis with another due to filthy air.”

The Congestion Charge will also be suspended between Christmas and the first working day of the New Year.

Alex Williams, TfL’s director of city planning, said: “These changes are targeted at reducing traffic at the busiest times where we have seen a long-term trend in high levels of car travel.

“We expect to see growth in the number of people walking, cycling and using public transport in central London as a result.

“The removal of the charge in the evening will help shift workers who perform essential roles at the heart of the city and support London’s vibrant cultural and hospitality sectors who are still recovering from the pandemic.”

The Mayor’s target is for 80% of trips made in the capital in 2041 to be by walking, cycling or public transport, and the target for central London is 95% of trips to be made by these sustainable types of travel.

The new weekend charging hours are targeted at reducing congestion at the busiest times.

Weekend car and private hire traffic before the pandemic was higher than during the week and made up 70% of traffic in the charging zone on a Saturday and Sunday.

It is estimated there will be an increase in sustainable travel compared to before the pandemic, with around 8,000 new public transport trips and 3,000 walking and cycling trips each day on the weekend, says TfL.

Reimbursement arrangements will be retained to facilitate essential trips made by certain NHS patients, care home workers, local councils and charities during epidemics and pandemics. The expanded NHS staff reimbursement arrangement will also continue.

Other permanent changes being implemented include:

• The deadline will be extended for making a delayed payment to three days after the day of travel. The delayed payment charge is £17.50
• The Auto Pay and Fleet Auto Pay discount will be removed
• The ability for residents to pay by App or online for multiple consecutive charging days will be removed
• The majority of the changes will come into force on December 20, aside from the changes to hours of operation, which will take place on February 21.
• This is to allow for changes to operational systems and to alter the signs that inform drivers of when the charge is in operation.

By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

McCarron Coates is warning drivers that the world of insurance claims is evolving, with the cost of vehicle repairs now outweighing those of personal injury claims for the first time in many years.

The shift in balance between the two main components that make up the total claim value is not down to any changes in legislation, such as the 2021 Whiplash Reforms, but due to the soaring cost of vehicle parts and repairs, says the fleet insurance specialist.

The costs, it explains, are partly driven by difficulties in obtaining parts post-Brexit, while repairs costs also have an element of inflation within them due to overall labour shortages.

However, for the most part, McCarron Coates says it is because there are few simple repairs now, with so many different and interlinked electronic components within vehicles that any reasonably significant prang is likely to see many parts of a vehicle needing to be replaced.

The issue is exacerbated when the vehicle is an electric vehicle (EV).  The battery is a hugely expensive part of an EV and any damage to it is likely to result in a large repair bill or even a quick total write-off, it says.

The cost of an EV claim is also influenced by repair delays, with an EV repair taking significantly longer to complete than one on a vehicle with an internal combustion engine (ICE).

Sometimes, an EV has to be sent to a specialist repair centre, meaning the time off the road – and time during which an expensive hired vehicle might be required – is even longer.

McCarron Coates believes some insurers have not yet been able to accumulate enough knowledge with which to calculate the right level of insurance premium for the EV risk and so are levying extremely high compulsory excesses, of a level of around £1500, rather than the £500 we might expect to traditionally see on a fleet policy.

“The cost of vehicle repairs is driving up overall claims costs and that is not good news for any fleet operator, as it will translate into higher premiums in the months to come,” said Ian McCarron, director at McCarron Coates.

“Operators need to make sure their fleet bucks the trend, by enhancing their risk management, addressing the reasons for accidents and trying to keep their vehicles out of the repair shop.

“That, in turn, will increase operational efficiencies within the business and reduce the amount of time that the business has to give to claims handling.”

The insurance broker’s advice to fleet transport operators is to do all they can to manage their risks on the road better, seeking to avoid the accidents that could land their vehicles in the repair cycle, for some time.

The focus should be on enhanced driver training, an analysis of individual drivers’ weak points, so that these can be addressed, and on the use of telematics, to help increase driver awareness of the hazards around, it says.

McCarron concluded: “It is essential that fleet operators act now, instilling a better driving culture and the principle of trying to keep the vehicle, its driver and all other third parties safe, at all costs.”  By Graham Hill thanks to Fleet News

Mercedes-Benz drivers will be able to make purchases for fuel, parking, and other services and goods, through the MBUX connectivity and infotainment suite from Spring next year.

Payments usually made through mobile devices, or manually on credit cards or with cash, will be able to be made through the vehicle’s infotainment and connectivity suite, using Visa’s fancy security technology.

The Future

Taking one more step into the future, Daimler Mobility has formed a new partnership with transaction system provider, Visa to integrate in-car payments for goods and services. Fancy, albeit barely pronounceable, titles aside, the Cloud Token Framework and Delegated Authentication products are Visa’s way of ensuring robust digital security for the consumer.

To use the payment services from the centre display screen, drivers will be required to use biometric ‘fingerprint’ technology to verify their identity. There will also be two-factor authentication to make sure drivers aren’t unknowingly paying for random unauthorised transactions.

Mercedes in-car payments

What do the bosses say?

Deputy CEO of Visa Europe, Antony Cahill, said: ‘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.’

This new payment feature will be facilitated by Mercedes pay, a service from Daimler Mobility, a mobility and digitalisation business unit of Daimler Group. CEO of Daimler Mobility, Franz Reiner, explains: ‘Mercedes pay is our competence centre for in-car payment. In partnership with Visa, Daimler aims to offer native in-car payments in a secure and user-friendly way.’

What this means for you

It broadly means that you’ll be able to make in-car payments if you’re signed up to Mercedes’ latest all-singing all-dancing infotainment system. In the short-term, this might not make much of a difference to your life. But in the long-term, this is the first step into cars becoming service providers and not just metal boxes to cart you around in. By Graham Hill thanks to Parkers