[mukeshgoel]

Soon, Fastags, the government issued smartcards used for paying toll on highways, can also be used to buy fuel. IDFC First Bank has become the first one to get an approval from the RBI for this.

While a name for the new version of Fastag is yet to be finalised, it is being internally called as — Fastag version 2.0, said a source.

Source

[blackwasp]

Originally Posted by mukeshgoel

Soon, Fastags, the government issued smartcards used for paying toll on highways, can also be used to buy fuel.

Somehow I am not happy with this. For tolls, it is reasonable as their location is fixed. Incase of parking or even fuel, what's stopping someone from just reading the tag when my car is parked? Having experienced the redressal mechanism of ICICI Fastag, I'm sure I won't like to be fighting for the price of a tankful.

There should be a mechanism to turn the tag on and off. Even a simple (low-tech) RFID blocking window that can be slid over when you don't want it to be used can be enough.

[mukeshgoel]

Originally Posted by blackwasp

There should be a mechanism to turn the tag on and off. Even a simple (low-tech) RFID blocking window that can be slid over when you don't want it to be used.

I agree with your concerns. It is a good idea if we can have some mechanism to deactivate / activate fastag.

Paytm does allow to do that in their app (Passbook -> Fastag -> Manage Fastags). Not sure about others. But still, not all fastag users carry smartphones with mobile data.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by mukeshgoel

It is a good idea if we can have some mechanism to deactivate / activate fastag.

Better would be just an OTP to the car owner's smartphone for any charges other than toll.

I agree with Blackwasp; however, with Fastag now going mainstream (it's standard on all new cars) and the government very keen on digitisation of payments, this was only expected. In the near future, fuel as well as parking? Sure. Next up could be payment for your traffic offences (e.g. speeding camera cum fine collector).

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by mukeshgoel

Soon, Fastags.... can also be used to buy fuel.

Absolute garbage of an idea. Why fix something that isn't broken? What next- Fastag to service your car? Fastag to buy vehicle Insurance?

What problem are they trying to solve? E-payments made for tolls keep the traffic flowing while reducing time-waste and fuel waste due to idling. A few people pay their fuel bills by credit card, majority by cash. Does it take significantly more time to pay by cash?

If they're trying to solve the problem of unaccounted money, let them find another way to solve it. Also remember- a Fastag is almost like a debit card in terms of the money disappearing from your account.

p.s. In the US, it is cheaper to buy your gasoline by cash in certain pumps. Although cashback on credit cards sometimes beats the discount.

[locusjag]

Originally Posted by blackwasp

There should be a mechanism to turn the tag on and off. Even a simple (low-tech) RFID blocking window that can be slid over when you don't want it to be used can be enough.

In the US market, there are aftermarket transponder bockers available on Amazon for precisely this reason.

https://www.amazon.com/EZ-Stealth-Ul.../dp/B00DSPVBP2

Originally Posted by GTO

I agree with Blackwasp; however, with Fastag now going mainstream (it's standard on all new cars) and the government very keen on digitisation of payments, this was only expected. In the near future, fuel as well as parking? Sure. Next up could be payment for your traffic offences (e.g. speeding camera cum fine collector).

Add to it the possibility of levying urban congestion charges via fastag 2.0 (a la London's model), should you choose to drive your car into city limits from the suburbs.

As to the question of using Fastag for paying for parking, I was using its equivalent in the US until 2017 to pay for parking at NYC's JFK Airport. Over there, the usual e-toll transponder is called "EZPass". The same transponder could be enrolled voluntarily by its users onto the elevated program called "EZPass Plus"; having enrolled in this program, I could zoom past lengthy cash payment lines at busy parking lots (such as the notorious ones in the JFK Airport). But such a program's reach would totally depend upon the concerned merchant's volition in adopting Fastag to pay for parking.

[pranavGTI]

We are more concerned about the safety of using one device for making payments for different services. I’ve used PLATEPASS in the U.S. Whenever I rent a car from Hertz, I make sure that car has PLATE PASS installed. This is small box with the tag inside. One need to slide open the tag to make it active when passing through electronic pass lane in tolls. When the tag is slide closed, it is not readable at all. The box which hertz provides is slightly bulky. Nowadays pass boxes have shrunk to the size of two fingers.



Note-The picture is taken from internet.

[krishnakarthik1]

This idea is not solving any huge problem. We got enough cash less transaction methods already. First see that folks without fastags do not enter into the fastag lane. Folks without tags can enter into the only fastag lane but folks with the tag can't go into other lanes because those are not equipped with scanners.

If the govt. really wants to revolutionize this process it should make a digital RC like a debit card. This card is linked to your aadhar, UPI and car number.

Remove the entire fastag concept and cash transactions at toll booths. Every car that passes through is charged. If there is no balance the vehicle is not let through.

Build a comprehensive app. Like GTO was saying, if you want more security you can opt for an accept payment alert when ever a payment has to be made. This will make sure that no one steals your number plate and uses it.

Next, the app should show traffic violations, give you an immediate alert every time you violate. This will help folks who do not violate and are wrongly booked. If its a wrong violation call you should be able to challenge it in the app by reporting wrong violation.

This card can give out distress signals to other cars or ambulances in the vicinity if it meets with an accident. Just a few ideas, a lot can be done with technology not just buy some fuel.

[KL01toKA03]

I welcome this move because this has the opportunity to create unmanned fuel filling stations in India. If the fuel station can detect these Fastags, then there can be Fastag only fuel stations, where the dispenser reads the balance in your account and lets you fill fuel till that amount. If implemented properly, it might even act as a fail-safe mechanism to prevent dispensing the wrong type of fuel.

Will it reduce costs? Maybe.
Will it increase unemployment? Maybe not. Given the current state of affairs, even if they create unmanned fuel stations, they will have multiple people with barricades to prevent the entry of people without Fastags.

[superbad]

Don't like fastag at fuel station? Don't use it. Pay by whichever means comfortable.

[DigitalOne]

Originally Posted by blackwasp

There should be a mechanism to turn the tag on and off. Even a simple (low-tech) RFID blocking window that can be slid over when you don't want it to be used can be enough.

Or they can introduce a manual PIN entry which should be required for all non-toll transactions.

Originally Posted by landcruiser123

Absolute garbage of an idea. Why fix something that isn't broken?
What problem are they trying to solve?

It solves a major problem for fleet owners and truck owners. They need not give huge amounts cash to the truck driver; carrying huge cash is a big risk for the truck drivers. Only daily expenses cash need to be carried.

[gautam109]

Originally Posted by superbad

Don't like fastag at fuel station? Don't use it. Pay by whichever means comfortable.

The issue is unintentional or fraudulent usage. A petrol pump scanner could scan your windshield-affixed tag and deduct money without your wanting or knowing it. Even if you're just passing through or filling air. The nature of the fast tag makes it an unnecessary security risk. Fraudulent scanners could read your tag and deduct money at, for example, parking entry / exit points, malls or rest stops.

Of course, there are ways to solve this, as suggested in this thread, such as OTP, PIN or a "plate-pass" kind of device, or for that matter, an opt-in / opt-out. Hopefully one of these will be put in place by the banks/authorities to ensure safety.

[Hayek]

Knowing how conservative the RBI is, there is no way they would have approved this without adequate anti fraud mechanisms in place. So I think those worrying about petrol pumps looting them when they go to fill air can rest easy.

In all likelihood, you would be able to enable beyond toll transactions, decide how much money to permit debits for, and banks / merchants would probably take liability in the event of disputes.

This makes immense sense for the Bank - because it creates an always available payment device which could induce folks to shift a regular use item from existing mechanisms to the Fastag 2.

[landcruiser123]

Originally Posted by DigitalOne

They need not give huge amounts cash to the truck driver; carrying huge cash is a big risk for the truck drivers. Only daily expenses cash need to be carried.

Isn't a debit card with a pin almost equivalent?

[mvadg]

I am all for whizzy tech that makes my life easier.
I am even okay with a drone detecting low fuel in my car and silently filling it up when parked. But...

One issue we all have noticed and complained about endlessly in all the forums is the non-culpability of the officials, especially that of the government officials when it comes to system failures.

Ola has my money but decides to give me a credit facility, fine. But why it decides to charge me extra for the credit and does not first use the money in my balance, WITHOUT MY CONSENT, is a question I cannot get an answer for. Where do I go for redressal? Same case when the FreshMenu app suddenly decides to confirm my order all by itself. No redressal without a long drawn email exchange.

Before all these wonderful digital, touchless wonders come to our shores, "our government" should make sure that systems for protecting the citizens are in place first

But then a government that itself uses illegal methods ( I am of course referring to the harassment of out of state drivers) to collect money cannot be expected to act in the interests of the public.
Instead of bringing up the issue of poor redressal of failures on a case by case basis, it would be more efficient to fix issue by setting up a system for severely penalizing failures (sometimes even criminal negligence) by targeting the officials responsible with jail time and heavy fines.
I apologize if this is a "super topic" that goes beyond the topic under discussion, but without some basics in place, there's no point singing praises about the latest new tech.