Buick Marketplace is available on all 2017 and newer models in the U.S.
Drivers of more expensive Buick vehicles can now make on-the-go reservations at restaurants with just a few taps on their infotainment touchscreen. Part of a recent update to Buick Marketplace, Yelp Reservations gives drivers access to thousands of restaurants nationwide.
Marketplace, claimed to be the industry’s first in-vehicle commerce platform, is one more way Buick is using connectivity to enhance vehicles and create new and convenient “customer experiences,” if you are willing to give up your privacy and have your personal data sold for the profit of other organizations.
Within the Marketplace app, Yelp Reservations allows customers to search for restaurants in a 25-mile radius of their vehicle’s location and reserve a table for up to 10 people. This is the first time Yelp Reservations has been embedded in vehicles.
Users can segment their search by types of cuisine, such as Seafood or Mexican, and view the restaurant’s rating and general price range. The app also lets drivers call a restaurant directly.
In beta testing, drivers using Yelp Reservations most frequently searched for restaurants within the American/Burgers cuisine category, closely followed by Asian/Vegetarian and Mexican cuisines. (Doesn’t sound like premium eating to AutoInformed from what is said to be a premium luxury brand. However it may say more about the American palate – or is that fast food hole – than Buick’s vehicles <grin>)
Buick Marketplace is available on all 2017 and newer models in the U.S., depending on vehicle trim level. In addition to Yelp Reservations, Marketplace also allows Buick drivers to place mobile food and drink orders, find dealer offers for vehicle service and the latest vehicle accessories.
A new update to Marketplace, brings ExxonMobil’s pay for fuel functionality right to the infotainment screen of eligible Buick vehicles. This service allows drivers to pay for fuel from their vehicle without swiping their credit card or using their smartphone. The platform also automatically syncs drivers to their ExxonMobil Speedpass+™ app account, and drivers accumulate rewards points with each purchase.
The new service is available at more than 11,000 Exxon or Mobil stations across the United States. A new update to Marketplace, the industry’s first in-vehicle commerce platform, brings ExxonMobil’s pay for fuel functionality right to the infotainment screen of eligible Buick vehicles. This service allows drivers to pay for fuel from their vehicle without swiping their credit card or using their smartphone. The platform also automatically syncs drivers to their ExxonMobil Speedpass+ app account, and drivers accumulate rewards points with each purchase. The new service is available at more than 11,000 Exxon or Mobil stations across the United States.
All interactions with Buick Marketplace require the user to opt-in and are built on customer consent. Vehicle information will only be shared in accordance with the Marketplace terms and conditions. Furthermore, any Marketplace information shared with merchants will be aggregate and anonymized, and will only pertain to that specific merchant. For example, we may share with Yelp that the most popular type of cuisine users search for within Yelp in their vehicle is Mexican, or that most Yelp reservations are made on Friday nights, but we won’t share any personally identifiable information.- Stuart Fowle, Buick Public Affairs.