SAP launches platform service for automobile

SINGAPORE: Leading system software vendor SAP on Thursday it has rolled out a cloud-based platform service that offers diverse automobile-related applications.

The Germany-based company held the SAP TechEd event in Las Vegas and introduced its Vehicles Network. The service, which will be first available in the United States, works with Samsung Electronics' mobile payment service Samsung Pay to help drivers pay at gas stations and parking lots.

"It has been a great pleasure to apply the SAP Vehicles Network to Samsung Pay so we could accelerate entry into the mobility service market," said Bernd Leukert, a senior official at SAP's product and innovation division.

"We have provided a SAP HANA cloud platform to our customers and partners, enabling digitalized business. We will continue to do our utmost to support enterprises worldwide introducing digitalized business experiences."

The company said the new service allows client enterprises to provide end-to-end mobile service to drivers regardless of what kind of automobiles or mobile devices they use. Based on the company's core HANA system, the SAP Vehicles Network will also support the Internet of Things devices and service as well as mobile payment service for drivers.

"In collaboration with SAP, we can offer enhanced payment services to drivers at gas stations using Samsung Pay," Samsung Electronics Executive Vice President Rhee In-jong said. "Samsung Pay is available at most places that support the use of conventional credit cards and we are working to expand the application to cover all kinds of stores."

Adding to Samsung Electronics, SAP has cooperated with automobile companies BMW, Volkswagen and Toyota and gas station payment system providers Fidelity National Information Service, Zipline and P97. It also worked with North American parking lot operators ParkWhiz and ParkingPanda to build an ecosystem for the new service.