Kiss Increasing Labor Costs Goodbye!

There a new technology coming out of the Netherlands that offers both an added convenience for retail fuel customers and a solution to increasing labor costs -- the TankPitStop, a robotic arm that can pump gasoline while you stay in the comfort of your car.

Visit singularityhub.com to view a video of TankPitStop pumping gas.

TankPitStop debuted in Emmeloord, Netherlands last year and has provided fuel since then, according to SingularityHub.com, which noted that the inventor of the technology got the idea for TankPitStop while watching a friend’s automatic cow milking machine. Inventor Nico Van Staveren worked with Rotec Engineering to develop the system.

It costs more than $110,000, but TankPitStop was designed for quick return-on-investment, according to the report. Staveren owns the Shell station where the robot debuted, and claims the efficiency of the arm will increase sales by 20 percent per hour per pump. There's no spillage or errors in gas selection, and motion sensors automatically shut off the pump if the car moves or if the machine senses interference.

To insure the correct fuel is used for each car, and to designate a credit card for payment, drivers register and place a small RFID sticker on their windshield.