Hyundai Motor America customers will soon be able to pay for goods and services such as gasoline, food and parking spots through new technology developments and in-car purchasing options.
Hyundai and automotive software developer Xevo Inc. — which connects drivers and their vehicles to mobile applications and services through touchscreens and their vehicle-branded mobile apps — showcased an in-vehicle payment concept, the Hyundai Digital Wallet payment platform, at TU-Automotive Detroit on Wednesday.
This platform will securely store a customer’s payment information for in-car commerce so that the company can offer Hyundai-branded payment solutions for customers to pay for fuel at participating Chevron- and Texaco-branded stations, order and pay for Applebee’s To Go and find and pay for parking with ParkWhiz.
Cason Grover, senior group manager of Hyundai Vehicle Technology Planning, said in an interview that Hyundai does not yet have a launch date and is still considering options for the in-car concept. The technology could either be made available through the existing mobile app to display in the vehicle head unit, or it could be launched as part of the vehicle software in the next infotainment platform. To determine which option fits best, the company soon plans to move the platform from a proof of concept into a pilot program.
Xevo brought Hyundai the three partners — Chevron, Applebee’s and ParkWhiz — based on the brands’ existing infrastructures, capabilities and shifts toward more purchasing options that align with Hyundai’s goals.
“There’s a level of existing payment capability,” Grover said. “The demand for more convenience is always there.”
Hyundai has also worked with technologies such as Google Glass, Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, Wear OS and Apple Watch in its expansion from smartphone app integration. ParkWhiz also has partnerships with other companies such as Ford, Ticketmaster, Groupon and Madison Square Garden.
The use of Xevo’s technologies for Hyundai is specific to the U.S. at this time, Grover said, based on the aggregator’s market approach. The technologies ultimately will require the development of more over-the-air update solutions and maintenance, he said.
Grover noted Hyundai has also recently partnered with Verisk, a data analytics provider, to collect driving data from its consenting car owners — another way in which Hyundai uses aggregate technology solutions. Hyundai owners will be able to view their Verisk Driving Score, a metric that assesses individual driving behavior. Insurers can then use these scores to support usage-based insurance programs.
