JJ Eden, executive director of North Carolina Turnpike Authority, gives his exclusive insight into his agency’s cutting-edge In-Vehicle Payment Pilot Program, being run in association with Volvo and Mastercard. Here JJ gives valuable background into exactly how it will work and why it is needed
In collaboration with Volvo Car USA and Mastercard, the North Carolina Turnpike Authority (NCTA) will begin a pilot program on the cutting edge of transportation technology. The In-Vehicle Payment Pilot Program will enable enrolled Volvo car owners to link their car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) to a payment method, allowing automatic payments to be processed as soon as the customer’s car drives through a tolled section of roadway. This innovative approach could be expanded to include other vehicle original equipment manufacturers and tolling agencies in the future. In-vehicle payment has the potential to transform how drivers interact with services like tolling, fast food, parking, and car washes.
JJ Eden
“In-vehicle payment has the potential to transform how drivers interact with services like tolling, fast food, parking, and car washes”
To begin using the in-vehicle payment option, eligible Volvo customers will enroll via Volvo’s in-vehicle application on the infotainment and navigation screen. Unlike traditional systems that rely on license plates, which can be changed, replaced, or stolen, the VIN is used as the primary vehicle identifier. It is automatically populated for the customer during the enrollment process, creating a more secure and efficient system.
After the customer provides their personal and vehicle information, they are directed to a Mastercard-hosted site to enter payment details. Mastercard then links the vehicle’s VIN to a secure payment token. This token is used for all in-vehicle transactions and helps ensure compliance with payment card industry standards for both Volvo and the NCTA. Once the payment method is verified, a new invehicle payment account is created.
When an enrolled customer drives onto a North Carolina toll facility, Volvo’s GPS technology detects the vehicle using its geolocation. Volvo collects and processes this data and sends it to the NCTA, where it is recorded and stored. Since these in-vehicle transactions don’t initially include a toll amount, the NCTA uses current tolling methods to match license plate transactions with those sent by Volvo. The toll amount is then linked to each transaction, and the complete transaction is sent to Mastercard for payment processing. Any transactions that are not approved or fail at any step are processed using the NCTA’s existing methods.
The In-Vehicle Payment Pilot Program enables more seamless, real-time toll collection, allowing customers to pay automatically. By linking the VIN to a payment method, it reduces processing time, lowers operational costs, and creates a more convenient experience for drivers, paving the way for broader use of in-vehicle commerce.
