Pumping gas during this frigid winter is a hand-freezing chore for many Americans. But filling the tank may soon become as easy as passing through a drive-thru.
Robotic gas pumps could be ready for regulatory testing in nine months. Here's how they would work: Once drivers arrive at the station, the pump, using infrared lights, would locate the fuel door, open it with a suction cup and then insert an automated nozzle into the car's tank.
Missouri-based Husky Corporation teamed up with Swedish company Fuelmatics Systems to engineer the driver-friendly pump. Husky executive Brad Baker told Fox News affiliate KTVI that the convenience of a robotic gas attendant would make fueling up quicker and less of a hassle in cold weather.
Baker said drivers would select their preferred type of gas on a drive-thru screen, and that a potential phone app could allow customers to make mobile payments.
The robotic pumps cost $50,000 each, and Baker anticipates high demand from station owners.
For now, it's unclear how this invention may affect employment at gas stations. There are over 21,000 gas-station attendants in the country, according to the bureau of labor statistics. U.S. gas stations employ about 865,000 people in total.
Baker said the first robotic pumps will appear in Missouri, but other states may be a tougher sell. New Jersey and Oregon require a gas attendant to fill up any car, barring drivers from self-service.
One downside of the robotic pump, Baker said, is a likely increase in gas prices at stations with the pumps.