# How a Car Can Pay for Things Using Secure Short-Range Communication

> This patent describes a system where a car acts as a payment device, using a very short-range wireless link from exterior hardware to securely send a tokenized credit card number to a payment terminal.

- **Patent:** US 12737744
- **Original title:** Connected car as a payment device
- **Granted:** 2026
- **Status:** Active
- **Times cited:** 0
- **Field:** automotive, telecommunications, software, consumer_electronics, finance

## What it does

This patent details a method for a vehicle to make payments. It involves selecting a stored financial card or account from the car's main display, called a head unit. To ensure security, the system transmits a 'tokenized card number'—a scrambled, unique code for your card—to a point-of-sale (POS) terminal. This transmission happens over a very short-range link, meaning the car must be extremely close, like within a few inches or feet, of the payment terminal. This secure, short-range communication is handled by special electronic circuitry attached to the outside of the vehicle, which receives the tokenized number from the head unit and then sends it to the POS terminal. For example, a driver could select their preferred payment method on their car's screen, then pull up to a gas pump where exterior circuitry on the car communicates with the pump's payment terminal.

## What it does NOT cover

- Does not cover payments made from the vehicle using long-range wireless technologies like cellular networks or Wi-Fi.
- Does not cover payment systems where the secure transmission circuitry is located entirely inside the vehicle cabin.
- Does not cover vehicle-based payments that do not use a tokenized card number for security.
- Does not cover payments where the vehicle is not within a threshold distance (e.g., one inch to three feet) of the point-of-sale terminal.
- Does not cover systems where the vehicle's head unit directly transmits the payment information to the POS terminal without intermediate exterior circuitry.

## The clever bit

The clever part is combining the convenience of in-car payment selection with enhanced security by requiring a very short-range, exterior-mounted communication link to transmit a tokenized card number. This physical proximity requirement, enforced by dedicated external circuitry, helps prevent unauthorized interception of payment data.

## Real-world examples

1. Paying for fuel at a gas pump directly from the car's dashboard.
2. Making drive-thru purchases at restaurants without needing to use a phone or wallet.
3. Automated toll payments where the car interacts with a short-range reader.
4. Parking garage payments where the vehicle communicates with an exit gate terminal.

## Why it matters

This patent addresses the growing demand for convenient, secure in-car payment solutions. By defining a specific mechanism for very short-range, exterior-based communication, it aims to make transactions like fueling up or paying at a drive-thru faster and more secure. This approach could streamline daily activities, reducing the need for drivers to use physical cards or phones for certain purchases.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does How a Car Can Pay for Things Using Secure Short-Range Communication cover?

This patent describes a system where a car acts as a payment device, using a very short-range wireless link from exterior hardware to securely send a tokenized credit card number to a payment terminal.

### When does this patent expire?

This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain.

### What problem does this patent solve?

This patent addresses the growing demand for convenient, secure in-car payment solutions. By defining a specific mechanism for very short-range, exterior-based communication, it aims to make transactions like fueling up or paying at a drive-thru faster and more secure. This approach could streamline daily activities, reducing the need for drivers to use physical cards or phones for certain purchases.

### What does this patent NOT cover?

Does not cover payments made from the vehicle using long-range wireless technologies like cellular networks or Wi-Fi.

**Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12737744/connected-car-as-a-payment-device

**Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US12737744

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_Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._