Interactive pumps can fuel more fun when filling the tank

Digital entertainment has taken over the world. Not to be outdone, at least one fuel company is making the process of filling up more interactive.

BP Global recently introduced interactive fuel pumps at various sites around New York and Chicago that are intended to make filling up a gas tank a more enjoyable experience. The smart pump is named “Miles,” and the company calls it a BP Personality Pump. Miles uses a proprietary interactive technology to audibly greet customers and initiate the fueling experience.

While filling up, customers can select music on Pandora, record a video e-card to share on social media or play music trivia. The pump responds in real time through a touchscreen tablet-like device and provides drivers with a variety of entertainment options.

Developed through a partnership with The Onion and Pandora, Miles has a clever personality. According to Donna Sanker, chief marketing officer for BP Fuels North America, “We believe this technology could change the way people think about the typical fill-up and give consumers another reason to visit our stations.”

After pumping gas, drivers can send themselves a text message with content created at the pump, a link to the Pandora station they chose and a special return offer.

Although these interactive pumps are still being tested, they may soon be noticed across the country. They’re particularly targeted to millennials, who consistently immerse themselves in technology and rely heavily on digital content.

BP has not yet revealed plans to expand Miles to pumps in other high-profile markets. Only time will tell if the company expands its interactive fuel pump efforts and whether competitors like Exxon Mobil, Shell, Chevron, and Valero develop their own interactive technology.