ABU DHABI // Motorists in Abu Dhabi will be able to pump their own petrol from the start of next month – and pay for it with a swipe of their Emirates ID cards.
Four self-service “smart” petrol stations with a new cashless payment system will be opened as part of a seven-month trial by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company from March 1.
Customers will be able to pay for their fuel using their Emirates ID card, Adnoc Plus card or a Smart Tag, a chip installed at the car’s fuel inlet.
All three payment methods are linked to an Adnoc Wallet account that can be topped up online. Customers can sign up for an account on the company’s website or at Smart Card centres around the city.
Self-service stations are not uncommon in Dubai, especially at night. In 2013, Enoc launched midnight to 6am self-service at 10 stations around the emirate.
But Emirati Hasan Al Faraj, 28, said the Dubai moves were not welcomed by all drivers.
“The system is confusing and we’re not used to it. I’ve tried it a few times but I always find myself turning to the attendant.”
Mr Al Faraj said it might be also be difficult for women to step out of their cars to refuel.
“This might subject women to unwanted advances. People might even light up a cigarette while refuelling. You see how some teenagers act. I don’t think this is a good idea. The way things are working are just fine.”
But Emirati student Sara Ahmed, 25, welcomed the idea.
“I just hope that it will be simple,” Ms Ahmed said. “The Smart Tag sounds super convenient if it really means that they can fill the tank and scan it right away. It will make the process so much faster.”
Other customers hoped that station attendants would not lose their jobs if the system expanded to cover all of the company’s network.
The stations in the trial are: Rabdan service station in Al Mushrif on Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street; Al Nasr service station on Sheikh Zayed the First Street; Al Zafarana service station near Khalifa University; and Al Qanah service station in Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street.
To fill up, customers activate a display at the pump, select the desired language and follow the instructions on screen. Adnoc staff will be on hand to help out.
The Smart Tags and Adnoc Plus cards are available for free to the first 5,000 customers. The cost of buying a tag has not been announced. Emirates ID cards can be linked to an Adnoc Wallet account and activated free of charge.
Adnoc will monitor the pilot scheme before deciding whether or not to expand the system further, said Abdulla Salem Al Dhaheri, chief executive of Adnoc.
nalremeithi@thenational.ae
