BMW has launched the K 1600 GT touring motorcycle, the first model with an optional eCall service via an onboard Vodafone SIM card.
The BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide eCall/ ACN (Emergency Call/ Automatic Collision Notification) system uses networks throughout Europe in order to get help to accident scenes as quickly as possible and improve road traffic safety. Over 2.5 million BMW cars are already digitally connected as a standard feature.
“The first BMW motorcycle with the eCall system shows just how many possibilities there are for the internet of things. And this is just the beginning. It is estimated that by 2020 around 20 billion devices will be sharing data,”Vodafone’s Internet of Things Director Ivo Rook, said.
BMW‘s new K 1600 GT has the SIM card under its seat. In case the bike is involved in an accident, the BMW Motorrad ConnectedRide system can immediately contact the BMW call center.
Vodafone inks agreement with PayPal to allow subscribers to make payments across the UK
In related news, the operator has partnered with US company PayPal agreement to allow Vodafone customers in the UK to make contactless payments in shops, restaurants and on transport services with their Android smartphones through their PayPal accounts.
In order to have access to this service, customers need to link their PayPal account to Vodafone Pay to purchase goods and services in more than 400,000 places across the UK.
Vodafone Pay customers will also be able to use the service to pay to travel across the Transport for London (TfL) network as well as on National Rail services in and around London that accept Contactless and Oyster.
Additionally, Vodafone customers can now add their Visa and MasterCard bank credit and debit cards to Vodafone Pay so they don’t have to carry plastic cards.
In order to start using the Vodafone Pay service, customers only need to download the Vodafone Wallet app and use a contactless (Near Field Communications) SIM in their device.
Once the transaction has been completed, Vodafone Pay sends a notification to the cardholder confirming that the transaction has been successful.
“Money is going digital, and the smartphone is at the center of this transformation. Mobile payments have long been at the heart of what we do. In fact, this year marks 10 years since we first launched a mobile payment service in the UK,” Rob Harper, Director of Mobile Commerce, PayPal UK, said. “As mobile technology continues to evolve, we will continue to look at new ways to make it easier and faster for our customers to pay.”
Vodafone Pay is part of a proprietary wallet app, where users can add and keep electronic copies of their store loyalty cards, coupons and vouchers.
