When the car becomes a commerce engine

While elements like style and looks have long been major selling points for carmakers, the rising interest and demand for connected cars means that consumers are beginning to expect more from the technology inside their automobiles. Parking, navigation and roadside assistance apps are already practically de rigueur on the digital dashboards of new connected cars. The next frontier is commerce and payments, with drivers looking for a more seamless experience to be built into vehicles as the POS increasingly moves to anywhere the consumer wants it to be.

According to recent research report released by Visa and PYMNTS.com, The Digital Drive, America’s 135 million commuters already spend more than $210 billion a year on things like gas, parking, food, coffee and grocery pickup as part of their drive to and from work. Buying goods and services directly from or adjacent to the car is something consumers have now come to expect.

The study, which surveyed more than 2,000 consumers, showed more than half currently use a mobile phone or tablet to order ahead and pay for things as part of their commute. About 40 percent of those who use their phone or tablet to buy their morning cup of coffee use an app and in-app payments to place their orders.

 

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