Google Coming To A Gas Station Near You

It’s a very interesting move from google, I always said that the most important move for a “virtual” company such as google would be to link its business with the real world.
These “bridge” will make her a bigger company with bigger and real revenues and a bigger mind share.

Very intriguing too.

http://www.octabox.com

oh wait…so I guess I won’t be needing the GPS on my new S class mercedes. I knew I overpaid for it when the dealer sold me on it…hmmm

that license plate is from Europe, Sweden actually.

I can see it now….pumping gas…looking up at the Google Map only to find out that the gas station down the ways could have saved me a couple bucks. lol

This would have been an interesting idea if satnav hadn’t already caught on. As it is it’s bound to get some press attention for novelty value but I can’t see it making money.

@5 - The idea itself might not generate money but imagine the value you’re getting from displaying your brand in front of motorists.
This will help building an-off-internet brand for google.

Stating that they will not show ads on the content proves that this is just another way that Google will use to keep themselves as relevant as possible in the eyes of their users.

I think it is brilliant and I would not doubt that it will become a popular feature in the areas that get them. SatNav? MOST cars still don’t have them AND I just gave directions to a guy yesterday that had one on his dash. His claim was that it was easier to stop for directions than to try to get his Tom Tom to change course.

While printing directions at the pump is cool, will they be simple, text only, receipt sized prints?
Or will it come with a map on a reasonably sized print?

And I assume it doesn’t keep a history of searched for and printed locations, right?
I don’t want the guy buying gas after me to know where I’m going next.

Meh, nothing beats a gas station attendant for quick directions, and they tried the pump screen innovation a few years ago with live CNN feeds. Didn’t last long.

When it comes to gas stations, people want to get the hell out of there as soon as possible–whether their purpose for going is fueling up or getting directions. Neither of those tasks take very long, anyway.

Google would be better advised to simply serve ads on those pumps.

“Google will not be displaying ads against the content”

I give it a month or two, then they’ll start channeling ads into it just like everything else they touch.

Google needs to integrate their maps utility with car navigation systems.

I love BMW.

Wow. Google Gas. Now all we need is Google PC’S - so that the next time I am sitting inside a Public Convenience, I can Google my blog on a bog instead of reading my boring newspaper.

Google has an advantage here since they can roll out new map data much easier than Garmin, TomTom etc. My Garmin is under 2 years old and there are plenty of businesses it couldn’t locate (even when I first received it.) I was in Philadelphia last month and found Ikea on the Garmin. Unfortunately it took me two exits past the store so I stopped at a Starbucks to get the correct location. I think Garmin charges ~$150 for new maps which adds up when you pay $400 - $700 for a decent GPS unit.

Since Google is willing to give away their map data through this sort of partnership, maybe there’s an opportunity for Garmin/Google or TomTom/Google collaboration? I wouldn’t mind getting a coupon for dinner as long as the device doesn’t force me to go there

This is definitely innovative.

Sounds neat for those w/o a GPS and for local businesses. Only thing is the wait time for cars waiting for those who just pumped gas to leave.

@Tom: Don’t just think of Garmin/Tom Tom, Nokia is now a major player with their latest acquisition, and they will be giving away their map data as well as providing additional services (read: marketing opportunities). We just need wifi at the gas pump.

What a great idea, one of those “Why didnt I think of that?!” moments.

@6: I think it’s a safe bet that most people with a car in America have heard of Google, and will be having the brand image reinforced constantly outside the gas station. I don’t see the point of an “off-Internet brand” - if there is such a thing - if you don’t really do business outside the Internet. Marketing execs will probably be patting themselves on the back at how creative they are, but I don’t see the beancounters celebrating. The only real benefit I see is that some people may think of Google as a search engine and not a map provider, but I still can’t see this justifying the expense of putting vandal-tastic computer equipment on pumps.

@14: Garmin and TomTom are in a bidding war over TeleAtlas to catch up with Nokia, so whichever wins should have frequently updated map content before long. Garmin has the higher bid last time I looked.

F*** GOOGLE! They are worse than the f**** government! They want to intrude every part of my life. What the hell is the matter with them.??Wake up people??? GAS STATIONS, What the F***??? It’s going to be our credit cards next, our medical history, birth certificates, EVERYTHING. This “Don’t Be EVil” is BULL F***** S**! How is it not evil to intrude into every part of our lives and then try to make a profit out of it by commercializing it? That’s EVIL. GOOGLE is BIG BROTHER! Wake up!

I am with DAVE, don’t be Evil…..

my butt, google is all about Evil……. google is going to own you and suck your blood while you are sleeping, eating and now driving….
STOP USING GOOGLE …..

I think this move is pure genius. It shows once again the vision of Google and that this vision has no boundries. For Google, it gets them more integrated into people’s lives. For gas stations, I bet the novelty and “coolness” factor gives them a point of differentation increasing their business over the guy across the street. I agree that it will be just a matter of time before ads start appearing.

Imagine the appeal to an advertiser - a local store within, say a 5 mile radius could offer coupons via the gas pump. A cpa model where Google gets paid each time a consumer prints a page with directions, a coupon, etc. to that store could be the revenue model. And imagine large national retailers like Target as the advertisers who would generate revenue at scale for Google. Brilliant!

Gilbarco Veeder Root is the subsidiary of Danaher Corporation (DHR). They are very innovative.

WebCurrents

@Dan Schawbel Google maps integrated into car navigation systems- awesome idea! This is a brand extension that makes total sense.

@Duncan- great post

Wow, this idea is quite genius. I myself alone can cannot count how many times I have stopped at a gas station to ask for directions, especially at night when no one else is on the road. This idea seems so obvious, it makes you wonder why didn’t anyone else think about it. Moreover, I don’t have a GPS, I always use google maps and print my directions before going on a trip. This all just seems so natural….awesome!

Even if I needed directions, I’m in the process of buying the Nokia E61i, which as someone mentioned Nokia is preloading some of the new phones with maps and even making them available for free download. At this rate a GPS is not that necessary.

Maybe the idea here is to distract people long enough while they’re pumping gas so they over pump and pay more than they intended. Regardless, this ought to be a relief to people who couldn’t stand not being able to use their cell phones while they pump gas, as they’ll now have something to do.

Brian Wilson, Zolve.com

Wow, I haven’t seen this much wet enthusiasm since Sony launched the Betamax. YES, it seems like a useful tool — in concept. In practice, it’s more hopeful (& newsworthy!) than helpful (but kudos to Google PR). Why not convert all those dormant telephone booths into Google stations, charge a $0.35 entry fee, and forget the middleman…

love-love-hate.

> Love that it invovles a gas station and out-experts the $6.35/hr worker

> Hate that the Google map doesn’t work great in the 6th largest city: Phoenix. They use the Yahoo in Scottsdale

>Love that its a SV company that understands people still print out email fro executives to read in the middle states

sure there will be ads. and the biggest money will come from the brewers luring you across the parking lot for a cold 12-pack.

but the biggest un-mentioned component is the real-time pricing information that google will get from their network of pumps. Much better than the user-reported data of gasbuddy.

My understanding is that Google licenses its data from Navtek and TeleAtlas (depending on geography). So, in expanded distribution, they are true winners. I wonder what pushback they’d receive from Garmin and Tom Tom making devices licensing their data for Big Auto, the more lucrative channel.

Directions at gas stations is a dying art, can see the benefit but really don’t see this, in the real world, working well. Execution-wise, machines will fail (who manages?) and people in the queue will have little sympathy for folks taking their sweet time to get a Google directions after they are finished pumping. Plus, why lay out this cost when phones will be more capable tomorrow…

@20: It’s not like they’re putting computers in the forests. They’re offering a free service in gas stations. Anything that can make a gas station more humane sounds pretty non-evil to me.

can’t wait for lines at the pumps while people try to figure out where they are, and how to get to their destination.

NICE BMW, this should be interesting, google is everywhere, a great company.

At least now I may have something interesting to look at while I pump gas. The gas pump has always been an source for marketing.

I can see this being a great tool when you’re on a road trip and don’t know any restaurants in the area… or maybe you need to find a campground for the night. Like it or not Google is finding ways to make our lives easier.

I concur with the first ping: Ultimately Google will rule the world. Those in authority, take care

i like it