Pumping gas is a pain, especially in the winter for those of us in northern climates. The days of gas station attendants are over in most places (New Jersey a rare exception), but there’s really no reason, aside from cost, that the entire process couldn’t be automated.
TankPitstop bills itself as the “first working refuelling (sic) robot for passenger cars.” Drivers place an RFID chip on their windshield that tells the robot everything they need to know about how to correctly fill up that make and model of vehicle – fuel tank capacity, type of fuel tank cap, how to angle the nozzle while refueling, and so on.
The robot will shut down if it senses movement nearby or if the car moves. There’s also a clearly marked shutdown button that can be manually operated by employees of the station or the driver, if necessary.
Once the car stops in the right position, the robot opens the fuel tank door, unscrews the cap, inserts the nozzle, and fills the tank. Even payment is wireless, so the process is completed without the driver needing to exit the car.
Next, can we get a robot that will deliver us snacks and sodas while the car is refueled?