Petrol pumps get FASTag-like technology to beat queues
The RFID sticker will tell the petrol pump boy about how much fuel you want to refill in your carThe new technology has been rolled at several HPCL petrol pumps in Mumbai, Pune and will be launched in other cities soon
PremiumNEW DELHI : Sample this. You drive into a petrol pump, a Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) reader on the fuel nozzle finds out how much petrol or diesel you want to buy, the attendant refills your car tank and you drive out without waiting to pay the bill. This is the scene across several HPCL petrol pumps in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Pune. Mumbai-based company AGS Transact Technologies Ltd has developed India’s first mobile fuelling solution called Fastlane.
How RFID stickers work at petrol pumps
Every Fastlane user is provided with an RFID sticker linked to Fastlane mobile app. This enables the user to pre-set the fueling amount before reaching the petrol pump. After you reach the fuel outlet, the Fastlane RFID sticker pasted on the car windshield provides vehicle identification and fuel type, as well as billing and payment information to the petrol pump attendant. After the fueling is complete, you get an instant notification and you can simply drive away without having to stay and make the payments.
Which petrol pumps have the new technology
Currently, there are more than 120 Fastlane-enabled HPCL petrol pumps in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane and Pune. "We plan to roll out Fastlane across all major cities in India. By March 2020, we aim to enable HPCL network with Fastlane across 10 major Indian cities," said Satish Zope, head, petroleum and digital payment business, AGS Transact Technologies Ltd. He said the Fastlane app contributes to about 2% of HPCL’s total fuel sales in Mumbai alone.
The company, which claims to have a 90,000-strong customer base, says the new technology directly addresses consumer concerns like fear of incorrect quantity dispensed and money charged for fuelling. Fastlane has also integrated real-time fuel price indicator on the app.
The central government is also working on another plan to start the use of FASTags for buying petrol and diesel, and even for payment of parking charges. Last year, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had announced that such plans are afoot. FASTags are currently in use for payment at toll plazas on national and state highways.
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