A gas station in southern China is giving a whole new meaning to ‘fill it up, please’.
A robot is being trialled where an arm equipped with sensors extends out from a regular petrol pump.
It first receives an order from a customer via an app. It can then open the car’s fuel tank, unscrew the cap, and direct a fuel nozzle towards the open tank. After refuelling the vehicle, the robot tightens the cap, closes the door, and returns to its initial position. The whole process takes 180 seconds, similar to the amount of time it takes a human to do the same job.
Developed by Sinopec, one of China’s major oil and gas producers, it is expected to be used in over 30,000 gas stations across the country.
