(*16*) CarPlay is getting an innovative new feature in the not too distant future: it will give drivers the ability to pay for gas directly from their car's infotainment screen, making the process more convenient and simple than ever .
Although (*16*) mentioned the update during WWDC 2022, we now have more details. Reuters (opens in a new tab) reports that HF Sinclair, which sells its fuel at 1.600 stations in the United States, plans to support CarPlay purchases later this year.
There are some caveats: At this time, we haven't heard anything about support for the feature outside of the US, and it won't go live until iOS 16 is released. It should arrive in September, when we will also be entitled to the launch of the iPhone 14.
Sooner
"We are excited about the prospect of consumers being able to walk into a Sinclair station and purchase fuel from their vehicle's navigation screen," Jack Barger, senior vice president of marketing for HF Sinclair, told Reuters (opens in a new tab) .
To take advantage of this, you will need to create an account on the HF Sinclair app and register your payment details in advance. Once all of that is done, you should be able to pay for your gas right from the driver's seat.
Now that more engines are supporting CarPlay, other companies are likely to follow HF Sinclair's lead and offer this kind of frictionless payment solution, so expect to hear more announcements like this here in September.
Analysis: software for your car
If you have never used (*16*) CarPlay before, it is not installed in your car; works from your iPhone, so the iOS 16 update is important. If supported by a vehicle's infotainment system, iPhone can display the CarPlay interface on the screen.
(*16*) promised (opens in a new tab) that iOS 16 will usher in the "next generation" of CarPlay, though details are a bit sparse and some vehicle partnerships won't be announced until 2023, so There could be will be delays along the way.
More in-depth communication with a car's internal systems (including the gauge cluster) is in the works, as well as more features specific to each car model. (*16*) also says that "new levels of customization" will also be implemented in the future.
Meanwhile, Android Auto, Google's equivalent, isn't idle either. Recent improvements with Android updates include the ability to play games (when the car is stopped) and interface improvements.