Abu Dhabi: Motorists whose auto-payment smart tags malfunction when refuelling at Adnoc petrol stations can approach the company to get new tags.
Recently, some customers have complained that their smart tags apparently expired only after a few months of use or are not working properly.
Effective June 30, Adnoc implemented the self and premium services at its gas stations in Abu Dhabi where motorists pay Dh10 extra if they want a petrol-station attendant to fill their vehicles with gasoline in premium lanes, while self-service is free.
Along with these services, Adnoc also launched the smart tag, a new payment option that enables customers to quickly refuel and pay without using cash or bank cards.
So far, the company has installed more than 220,000 smart tags in vehicles across the country and is providing a further 100,000 for free in the northern parts of the country at Adnoc gas stations.
The technology is based on a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag affixed to a vehicle that automatically triggers payment from a motorist’s prepaid Adnoc wallet, which can also be connected to other payment options including the Emirates ID card or the Adnoc Plus card.
“If some people would have faced any problem, it’s not because of the tag,” said Anwar Ghani, an Indian school bus driver who has used the tag for more than six months.
“It could be their inappropriate handling of [the fuel] nozzle in that they would have hit the tag while inserting the nozzle into the fuel tank as the tag is fixed around the [mouth of the] fuel-tank.”
Ghani said he has not faced any problems with the tag.
“It saves me [the trouble] of juggling with payments by card or cash. We just refuel and go,” Ghani said.
Mahboobur Rahman, a motorist who installed the chip for a year, said: “I don’t have to pay money. It’s easy, quick and saves time, and I don’t have to worry about payments and then collecting the change. We maintain some balance in our Adnoc e-wallet account for smart tags for refuelling gas at Adnoc. The system is very smooth, efficient and time-saving,” he said.
Tags do not expire
Meanwhile, an Adnoc spokesperson told Gulf News that the tags do not have any expiry dates and there is no fee to replace the faulty tags.
The spokesperson said the company recognised there were some problems but said these had since been rectified.
“As with any technology, there may be isolated operational issues with the smart tag. To date, we have had very few issues. We encourage our customers who suspect a factory defect in their smart tag chips to contact 800 300 or visit any of our smart tag installation centres in the UAE, where a member of the team will be happy to assist,” the spokesperson said.
“These chips do not have an expiry date, and there is no renewal fee. However, customers may be charged a replacement fee if they report the problem after the expiration of the three-month warranty period,” the official said.
