Mobile payment at the gas pump using NFC technology like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Android Pay? What is this technological wizardry? Yes, Chevron is starting to experiment with making the hottest technology of 2014 available at the pumps in its gas stations, starting with 20 stations in California.

This may be the application of payment-by-waving-your-phone-at-something that makes the most sense, as long as gas pumps stay especially susceptible to fraud by installation of card skimmers. Mobile payments would bypass the physical card reader and be harder to intercept.

CNET reports that while some gas stations have mobile payments available inside as part of the payment terminals in their convenience stores, adding the technology to the outdoor gas pumps is something that hasn’t really caught on yet.

Even though Visa is part of this project, it will work with all brands of credit cards that are stored in customers’ mobile wallets. It helps both companies to have an investor buddy for this project, because outfitting a gas station with mobile payment technology outside costs between $10,000 and $100,000.

Apple Pay debuted a year ago, and it hasn’t really caught on here in the United States: maybe once there’s a critical mass of users and of retailers making it available, the idea will catch on. Maybe it will remain a weird novelty.

Visa, Chevron pump up mobile payments [CNET]

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