WeChat Smart Gas Station with Auto Payment, Plate Recognition Opens in Shenzhen

A smart WeChat gas station built by WeChat and Sinopec Kantons Holdings opened at Kantons Holdings Fangxingda Gas Station in Shenzhen. Its license plate recognition, together with Mini Programs and WeChat payment, allows Kantons Gas Station to provide am intelligent refueling experience for drivers.

In the past, when drivers stopped to refuel, they often had to ask staff about fuel types, pay in cash, wait for change and get out of the car to get a receipt, which was tedious and time-consuming. Low efficiency led to long lines during peak hours.

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At the Kantons Gas Station, drivers can use the “Kantons Petroleum+” Mini Program in WeChat to perform automatic payment, typing in their license plate information and fuel preference. When entering the gas station, the system will automatically identify the driver’s pre-filled license plate, read the product preferences, and automatically scan the drivers’ past fuel history. This allows cars to begin refueling the moment they arrive at the gas station. The gas station also has an automatic pay channel which only serves automatic payment users. Even during peak hours, the channel is smooth without long lines. After the refueling, the Mini Program will automatically settle the payment and send the receipt to the driver.

It only takes three steps for drivers to refuel at any Kantons WeChat Smart Gas Station: driving into the station, pausing to refuel and driving out. It is unnecessary for drivers to get off the car. The service not only affords fast refueling without wait times, but also encourages drivers to use WeChat payment. According to tests, it only takes five minutes for Kantons Gas Station members to refuel their cars. It saves more than half of the time spent at traditional fuel stations.

Kantons WeChat Smart Gas Station also offers a series of services such as WeChat membership, WeChat receipt and WeChat big data.

Drivers can become Kantons members by adding the “Kantons petroleum+” Mini Program or subscribing to the “Kantons Petroleum” official account in WeChat. This allows the company to collect more members and accumulate more data, laying the foundation for targeted marketing. Using WeChat’s electronic receipts, gas station staff can print an invoice based on user registration and avoid repeated confirmations and wait times. With WeChat big data, Kantons Smart Gas Station can analyze the data from WeChat payment and WeChat members. This allows the company to make a profile for users and offer customized marketing services that reflect users’ consumption habits.

Yang Yuanming, chairman of Kantons Holdings, said, “The Kantons Mini Program and WeChat have created China’s first smart gas stations, evolving smart payment scenarios from cash payments and code scanning to automatic pay. We have solved the problem of using mobile phones at gas stations. In the future, Kantons Smart Gas Station will be promoted in Shenzhen, Guangdong and across China. We aim to provide customers with a safe, comfortable, convenient and efficient consumption experience.”