Results: RFID and Identity Management in everyday life - ITAS

Case ID #131 , level 1
Title ExxonMobile Speedpass
Researcher Christian van ‘t Hof
Timing 1997-2006
Geography US, Canada, Singapore, Japan
Environment traffic and retail
Case #131: Exxon Mobile Speedpass
Technology The Speedpass consists of a 134kHz RFID chip (Texas Instruments) in a small black plastic barrel
of about 2 cm which can be carried on a keychain. Readers are placed at the gas dispenser and
at the cashier. Communication between reader and tag is secured through a challenge response
protocol, which works as follows. When the readers sends out its signal, a random number is
given. The chip performs a mathematical operation on the number, using its own secret code and
sends back the result together with its serial number. The readers sends this information through
satalite communication to the central database in Houston, which have lists of all authorised
Speedpass owners, perform the same calculation as the tag and compare the result. If the
numbers match, the purchase is made through the customers credit card number. This proves
takes about 3 seconds. [4]
Costs Cost of the RFID system: $ 60.000,- for each location. [4] Customers can order and use the tag
free of charge.
Maturity fully operational
Function payment
Owner The Speedpass system was developed by ExxonMobil.
Maintainer ExxonMobile. The radio frequency technology is provided by Texas Instruments and integrated
into the fuel dispensers by the Wayne Division of Dresser Industries.[3]
Users Customers at the gas station
Other actors Trials at McDonalds and Stop & Shop.
Case story Speedpass is a RFID pay system at ExxonMobile gas stations. The pass consists of a small black
plastic barrel of about 2 cm which can be carried on a keychain. Readers are placed at the pump
and cassier. The RFID chip in the barrel carries a unique code which is connected to the holders
credit card account. It was first introduced at Mobil-branded service stations in 1997 as an easy
and fast way to pay at the pump. Soon, the Speedpass system was extended to Mobile’s
convenience stores. After the merger with Exxon, the pass was employed at the Exxon stations
too. By 2003, there were over 5 million activated Speedpasses, accounting for 10% of sales at the
pump. In 2005, Speedpass is deployed at 8,600 locations throughout the US. [4]
During it’s implementation phase, several trial were held to extend the reach of the Speedpass
system. In 2001, ExxonMobile started trials at 450 McDonalds in the Chicago area and in 2003
with Stop & Shop supermarkets to see whether the pay system could be extended to fast food
and groceries. Speedpass was origionally employes just for paying gas, but according to Joe
Giordano, vice president of systems en product development at Speedpass their customers
expressed the need to use it at other “around-the-town, convenience oriented-type purchases”.
Still, for some reason or another, we were unable to find many accounts of this use today.
More than 6 million Speedpass devices have been issued in the U.S. Exxon- and Mobil-branded
service stations and convenience stores in the U.S. There are more than 8,800 locationsExxon-
and Mobil-branded service stations and convenience stores in the U.S. in the U.S. that accept
Speedpass. Research shows that more than 90 percent of Speedpass users report they are
highly satisfied. Nearly 2 million Speedpass devices have been issued in Canada, Singapore and
Japan for use at more than 1,600 retail locations in those countries. [3]
Each device has a unique identification and security code that is transmitted to the
reader when you make a purchase. The purchase is automatically charged to the
payment method linked to the Speedpass device. The customer’s credit or check
card number (or checking account number) and personal information are never
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