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What if we could automatically identify the AC receptacle that the Volt is plugged into and arrange for payment to the owner of that receptacle?
Creation of large network of publicly accessible plugs would be accelerated if the AC receptacle hardware were made simpler - only containing an RFID tag. The RFID tag could even be integrated into a sticker that would be affixed on or near an existing receptacle.
It could be arranged to have the owner of the receptacle to make a modest profit, further encouraging installation of new receptacles in parking lots.
This requires the intelligence (to report usage) to be built into the car, which is why GM needs to think about this now. There needs to be an RFID reader built into the plug assembly, and a means to upload usage information to a central database.
The big question is security – there’s nothing to keep someone from just plugging in and not paying. But I would argue that in the tradeoff between rapid adoption and security, the honor system wins. If the Volt were designed to handle the transaction automatically, then the owner of the receptacle could be reasonably assured of payment, upon finding a Volt plugged into their RFID-enabled receptacle. That would be convenient for the Volt owner, and good for GM's image.
Creation of large network of publicly accessible plugs would be accelerated if the AC receptacle hardware were made simpler - only containing an RFID tag. The RFID tag could even be integrated into a sticker that would be affixed on or near an existing receptacle.
It could be arranged to have the owner of the receptacle to make a modest profit, further encouraging installation of new receptacles in parking lots.
This requires the intelligence (to report usage) to be built into the car, which is why GM needs to think about this now. There needs to be an RFID reader built into the plug assembly, and a means to upload usage information to a central database.
The big question is security – there’s nothing to keep someone from just plugging in and not paying. But I would argue that in the tradeoff between rapid adoption and security, the honor system wins. If the Volt were designed to handle the transaction automatically, then the owner of the receptacle could be reasonably assured of payment, upon finding a Volt plugged into their RFID-enabled receptacle. That would be convenient for the Volt owner, and good for GM's image.
