Gentex partners with PayByCar to offer motorists touchless pay option for gas

State-of-the-art rearview mirror technologies have designed Gentex Corp. a critical Tier one supplier in the auto marketplace. Now the Zeeland, Mich., firm is pursuing a new mirror perform that could posture it for improvements in the way persons will travel in the long run.

Gentex has formed a partnership with PayByCar Inc., a Boston service provider of in-car payment answers. The partners use Gentex’s Built-in Toll Module that operates via RFID transponder to permit motorists shell out for gasoline totally contactless.

The solution makes it possible for motorists to use their smartphone and toll transponder to gas up at specific gasoline stations with out applying cash or a credit history card.

The module is nevertheless early to market and constrained in its abilities. PayByCar’s know-how is available at only 7 destinations — four Alltown stations in Massachusetts and 3 Circle K destinations in North Carolina. And it functions only with cars geared up with a compatible module. For Gentex, that suggests a number of Audi models.

But offered automaker and components supplier desire in new income streams, the module positions Gentex very well for a selection of telematics opportunities, Craig Piersma, Gentex internet marketing director, explained to Automotive Information.

It also addresses a new sizzling level for people — the COVID-motivated need for far more touchless transaction choices.

It is just a single phase in Gentex’s go into merchandise, Piersma said.

“This is just increasing our choices in the related car place,” he said. “It is really about continuing to establish on those platforms, include far more features so that it really is far more engaging to our automaker clients and ultimately the close person.”