How Your Car Can Become a Payment Card

This patent describes a system where a car's computer system can store your payment cards and use special short-range signals from external car parts to securely pay at places like gas stations or drive-thrus.

What it covers

This patent details a method for using a vehicle as a payment device. It involves selecting a stored financial card or account from the car's main display, called a head unit. The system then sends a scrambled, secure version of the card number, known as a tokenized card number, to a payment terminal. This transfer happens over a very short-range wireless connection, using electronic parts attached to the outside of the car. For example, this external circuitry might be within a few inches or feet of the payment terminal, ensuring a secure, close-proximity transaction.

What it doesn't cover

• —Does not cover payments made using a smartphone or smartwatch that is merely *inside* the vehicle.
• —Does not cover payments where the financial card number is transmitted without first being converted into a 'tokenized card number'.
• —Does not cover payments made over long-range wireless connections, such as cellular networks or Wi-Fi, for direct payment to a point-of-sale terminal.
• —Does not cover payment systems that do not involve 'electronic circuitry attached to the exterior of the vehicle' for the final short-range transmission.
• —Does not cover payment methods that do not require a 'very short-range communication link' with a 'threshold distance' (e.g., one inch to three feet) to the payment terminal.

The clever bit

The novel aspect is combining the car's internal computer system with dedicated external electronic circuitry for very short-range, tokenized payments. This specific setup ensures both the convenience of in-car selection and the security of close-proximity, token-based transmission, preventing unauthorized long-distance interception.

Why it matters

This technology aims to make payments more convenient and potentially more secure for drivers. It could streamline transactions at places like gas pumps, toll booths, and drive-thru restaurants, allowing drivers to pay without reaching for a wallet or phone. By integrating payment directly into the vehicle, it offers a hands-free payment experience.

Real-world examples

• 1.Tesla in-car payment for Supercharging
• 2.Mercedes-Benz in-car payment for fuel
• 3.Hyundai and Kia in-car payment systems for parking or tolls
• 4.General Motors MarketPlace for ordering and paying from the dashboard