Jaguar Land Rover drivers will be able to earn cryptocurrency on the go in exchange for providing connected car data under new technology currently under trial.

Credits can be earned for sharing information about traffic jams and potholes and used to automatically pay for tolls, parking and electric charging

On test in vehicles including the Jaguar F-Pace and Range Rover Velar at the new Jaguar Land Rover software engineering centre in Shannon, Ireland, the technology enables drivers to receive cryptocurrency credits for sharing information about traffic jams and potholes.

The credits, stored in the ‘Smart Wallet’ technology, can be used to automatically pay for tolls, parking and electric charging or be redeemed for rewards such as coffee, with the ability to top up using conventional payment methods.

The connected services form part of Jaguar Land Rover’s Destination Zero strategy, which aims to achieve zero emissions, zero accidents and zero congestion. Shared data will play a crucial role in this, with the connected ‘Smart Wallet’ services helping to cut congestion with the sharing of live traffic updates and offering alternative routes to drivers, reducing tailpipe emissions from idling in traffic.

Russell Vickers, Jaguar Land Rover software architect, said: “The connected car technologies we are developing will be transformative and truly turn your Jaguar or Land Rover into a third space, in addition to your home or office. In the future an autonomous car could drive itself to a charging station, recharge and pay, while its owner could choose to participate in the sharing economy – earning rewards from sharing useful data such as warning other cars of traffic jams.”