Mercedes-Benz Teams up With Mastercard to Introduce Native In-Car Payments at the Pump: Pay by Fingerprint Directly in the Car With Mercedes pay+

Mercedes-Benz customers in Germany can now start the fueling process directly from their vehicle and pay digitally by fingerprint. Eliminating the need to enter a PIN or authenticate via mobile device, drivers can now leverage convenient payments to enhance the in-vehicle experience. The native in-car payment service via Mercedes pay+ will turn the car into a form of payment device and can be used to make payments at service stations using the fingerprint sensor integrated into the MBUX infotainment system. This is now live with Mastercard debit and credit cards in current Mercedes-Benz models.¹

Fingerprint payment authorization at a gas station represents the first use case for native in-car payments at the point of sale, in addition to Mercedes-Benz as the world's first automaker to integrate Mastercard's Secure Card on File for Commerce platform into the car. This technology allows for transaction data to be encrypted using uniquely assigned cryptograms,² in turn protecting sensitive payment information.

"With Mercedes pay+, we are making everyday life easier for our customers. From now on, they can pay their fuel bill directly from their car using their fingerprint – simply, securely, and conveniently. An intuitive payment process and a best-in-class customer experience lay the foundation for the success of digital offerings. We are pioneers in native in-car payment and are already working on the integration of further services," said Franz Reiner, Chairman of the Board of Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG.

A study conducted by the German market research company GfK on behalf of Mastercard shows that around half of 18- to 39-year-olds would order and pay for services and goods directly via the infotainment display. The proponents would like to use in-car payment primarily for everyday car-related services: 60 percent would pay their gas bill or electric vehicle charging directly via the car.

"Digital payments are coming of age, and consumers want to embrace new forms that are infused into their everyday experiences and activities,” said Jorn Lambert, Chief Digital Officer at Mastercard. “Through our dynamic payments technology, we are proud to work hand in hand with Mercedes-Benz to bring safer, smarter, and more intelligent commerce experiences to its vehicles. We look forward to our continued efforts to drive further innovation in this area in Germany and around the world."

Emerging Payments Analyst Christopher Miller, Javelin added, “This joint effort between Mastercard and Mercedes-Benz to enable native in-car payments for fueling is an example of a real-world step towards a more seamless and integrated payments ecosystem that brings together consumer need, the right data, and payment credentials to reduce payment friction while retaining payment security. The announcement highlights the importance of payments experiences that are truly integrated from end-to-end – from authentication hardware in the vehicle, to calculation of fuel costs and needs, to email delivery of receipts. Payment flows that are truly differentiated will persuade consumers to adopt emerging technologies such as pay-by-car. Delivering on these types of experiences requires partners with the capability to coordinate all of these different components into something that is easy for consumers to both use and understand.”

How in-car payment with fingerprint works

When a driver reaches a connected service station and switches off the engine, the Mercedes me Fuel & Pay service will start automatically on the MBUX infotainment system.³ Once started, the driver can simply select the appropriate gas pump. Even before refueling, the system will calculate the maximum total amount based on the current fuel price and the amount of fuel when the tank is full. And rather than authorizing the payment via a mobile device, the driver will complete their transaction seamlessly through fingerprint authentication.⁴ After refueling, the driver will see the amount of fuel refueled and the invoice amount to their Mastercard debit or credit cards on the MBUX display. Payment will be made automatically, and the driver will be able to leave the gas station without having to walk to the checkout area. The invoice is then sent to the customer by e-mail.

Where to find Mercedes me Fuel & Pay

Contactless payment via Mercedes me Fuel & Pay and fingerprint sensor is now possible at over 3,600 cooperating gas stations in Germany. Consumers can use their German-issued⁵ Mastercard credit or debit cards for native in-car payment by registering their card in the Mercedes me user account and activating it in the vehicle via the MBUX infotainment system Mercedes pay+.

Fingerprint payments from the car will be extended soon to other vehicle-related services and to other European markets.

For more information from Mercedes-Benz Mobility, please visit: group-media.mercedes-benz.com and www.mercedes-benz-mobility.com/de/media-site/

Read more: Mercedes pay CEO Nico Kersten discusses the evolution of in-car payments with the Mastercard Newsroom: https://www.mastercard.com/news/perspectives/2023/mercedes-pay-ceo-on-securing-the-future-of-in-car-payments/

About Mastercard

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. Our mission is to connect and power an inclusive, digital economy that benefits everyone, everywhere by making transactions safe, simple, smart and accessible. Using secure data and networks, partnerships and passion, our innovations and solutions help individuals, financial institutions, governments and businesses realize their greatest potential. With connections across more than 210 countries and territories, we are building a sustainable world that unlocks priceless possibilities for all.

www.mastercard.com

About Mercedes-Benz Mobility

With around 10,000 employees, Mercedes-Benz Mobility specialises in financial and mobility services. The products range from financing, leasing, vehicle subscription, rental and fleet management to insurance, innovative mobility services, digital payment solutions as well as products and services around charging. Mercedes-Benz Mobility is a division of Mercedes-Benz Group AG, which also includes the vehicle manufacturer Mercedes-Benz AG, one of the largest suppliers of premium and luxury passenger cars and vans. Mercedes-Benz Group AG is one of the most successful automotive companies in the world. As financial services provider, Mercedes-Benz Mobility entities support sales of the Mercedes-Benz Group's automotive brands worldwide. In addition, Mercedes-Benz Mobility offers comprehensive products and services in the fields of charging at home, at public and for business use cases. In Germany, Mercedes-Benz Bank is one of the leading vehicle financing banks. Flexible mobility offers such as Mercedes-Benz Rent or EQ subscription, enable an uncomplicated and flexible entry into e-mobility, complementing the service portfolio. With its subsidiary Athlon, Mercedes-Benz Mobility is present in Europe in operational fleet management and vehicle leasing and is responsible for around 400,000 vehicles. In addition, Mercedes-Benz Mobility invests in the market for urban mobility services: The FREE NOW Joint Venture is a pioneer of multimodal mobility with its digital Mobility-as-a-Service platform. The Digital Charging Solutions GmbH (DCS), which is behind the CHARGE NOW Joint Venture, brings together drivers of electric vehicles and charging station operators. The portfolio also includes StarRides – a limousine transport service joint venture in China – and the participation in the Berlin chauffeur service Blacklane. In 2022, Mercedes-Benz Mobility financed or leased around every second of the Mercedes-Benz Group's vehicles sold worldwide. This corresponds to a contract volume of 132.4 billion €. The business segment generated sales of 27.0 billion € in 2022 and achieved an EBIT adjusted of 2.4 billion €. Mercedes-Benz Mobility operates in 35 countries.

1 Series: 223, 206, 254, 232

2 Mercedes-Benz uses the Mastercard Digital Enablement Service (MDES) to encrypt transaction data. The customer's physical card number is replaced by a so-called token. The payment information is created once for each individual transaction and the token can only be used by the merchant who requested it.

3 To use the Mercedes me connect services, create a Mercedes me ID and agree to the Terms of Use for the Mercedes me connect services. The services shown and their availability and functionalities depend in particular on the vehicle model, year of manufacture, selected optional equipment and country.

4 Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) compliance requires two-factor authentication consisting of: something the consumer knows (e.g. a password), owns (e.g. a connected device), or is (e.g. biometrics). Mercedes pay uses the Mastercard Token Authentication Framework, where the authentication (SCA) is transferred from the card-issuing banks to Mercedes pay.

5 The authorization is subject to the card-issuing bank or savings bank and not to Mercedes-Benz.

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Contact information

Mastercard:
Juliane Schmitz-Engels, +49 172 1880720, juliane.schmitz-engels@mastercard.com

Mercedes-Benz Mobility AG:
Martin Schou, +49 176 3099 8638, martin.schou@mercedes-benz.com