Exclusive report: The Finnish station using a robot to fuel up cars

PetrolPlaza visited a Neste station in Finland to see first-hand Autofuel’s robotic refueling arm in action. We spoke to executives from both companies about the pilot project and how the technology will adapt to the future.

As vehicles become smarter and customers demand more convenience, will humans continue to carry the burden of fueling up their vehicles? Danish technology supplier Autofuel believes otherwise. PetrolPlaza travelled to Finland to visit the innovate Neste service station currently implementing Autofuel’s robotic fueling system.

The third generation of the system is being tested at a site just North of Helsinki. The lightweight system has a smaller footprint than its predecessors and can operate any kind of fuel. The pilot project between both companies began in 2018 with the second generation of the arm.

“We are at the end of the testing phase and close to commercialization. As a fuel retailer you can now give customers back their time instead of linking them to the nozzle,” explains Jonas Thor Olsen, CEO of Autofuel.

With the share of alternative fuels increasing across the world, Olsen says the transition to other forms of energy is seamless. “The beauty of Autofuel is that we can adapt it to any kind of fuel – EV charger, CNG, hydrogen... The game changer will be autonomous vehicles. You won’t have humans fueling autonomous vehicles. The general purpose of robots is the opposite,” he adds.

The Neste Express Vantaa Siltamäki station also includes an Easy Deli autonomous convenience store, showcasing the innovative spirit of the Finnish fuel and convenience retailer. Neste is the largest producer of renewable diesel in the world.

“Customers are expecting a more smooth and convenient experience at the station. The robotic arm is good example of technology that can make the experience nice and easy. The plan for the station is to open it to a public test group later this year,” says Katri Taskinen, Vice President at Neste.

Check out the video to see how the Autofuel system works.