In January, Amazon announced a new feature would allow Alexa users to pay for their gas at the pump using voice commands via Echo Auto and other Alexa-enabled mobility devices. Today, the company says the feature is now live at over 11,500 Exxon and Mobil gas stations across the U.S., allowing customers to say “Alexa, pay for gas,” to begin the payment process.
Amazon teamed up with Fiserv to help power the transactions by activating the pump and facilitating the token generation to ensure a secure payment experience. However, the transactions themselves will be processed through Amazon Pay, which uses the same payment information stored in the customer’s Amazon account.
At launch, Amazon says the feature will work across Alexa-enabled devices, like Echo Auto, as well as in Alexa-enabled vehicles, and even through the Alexa app for iOS and Android.
To get started, customers can say, “Alexa, pay for gas,” and Alexa will then confirm the station location, pump number, and then activate the pump.
The feature may not be either faster or easier than simply inserting your payment card at the pump directly, but it can be useful in some situations. Because you can remain in the car until the pump is authorized, the option is a nice perk for cold, winter days. It could also be appreciated by women and others who are wary of being alone at the pump, like when getting gas at night or in unfamiliar surroundings. In the pandemic era, it means more time social distancing from the customer on the other side of the pump, too, and reduces your interactions with the pump itself.
Unfortunately, Alexa can’t pump your gas for you yet — you still have to do that yourself.
