Microsoft, Digital, Trintech and NatWest pioneer a new era in e-commerce as ThrustSSC becomes the first UK website to offer secure, automated online credit validation. When the British-built Thrust Supersonic Car (ThrustSSC) attempts to break the speed of sound later this year, it will be with the backing of some of the biggest names in the IT industry. A combined announcement from Microsoft, Digital, Trintech and NatWest today reveals that the Digital ThrustSSC Website is to become the first in the UK to sell merchandise via a new automatic online credit validation system. Richard Noble, Project Director said, "The biggest problem we have with the project is maintaining cash inflow while we are abroad. The use of trading on the Internet means that we can generate funding whilst operating overseas as this requires only the merchandise fulfilment operation. Thus our need to develop trading on the Internet is an absolute corporate priority."
According to Jeremy Davey, Webmaster for ThrustSSC, the advent of secure trading on the Internet has revolutionised Thrust's approach to promoting its merchandise and raising funds for record breaking attempts. "Microsoft's Merchant Server e-commerce platform has enabled me to quickly build an online shop that is both easy and fun to use," he commented. "ThrustSSC is about high-speed and speed of development has become critical to the website. Without Microsoft Merchant Server I could never have built this shop - I wouldn't have had the time!"
Digital had previously implemented an on-line shop on Barclay Square. Moving this to Microsoft's Merchant Server running on Micrsosoft Windows NT on an Alpha platform, Thrust initially implemented a manual method to transfer payment details from consumers who purchased goods from the site. This involved the Thrust team keying the transaction details into a terminal linked to NatWest's acquiring system. Thrust approached Trintech to provide an automated payment mechanism which is integrated with Microsoft Merchant Server. Trintech has provided the software to remove the need for manual input in the form of PayWare(TM). PayWare takes credit card payment requests from Microsoft's Merchant Server then manages the secure communication of the request for authorisation to the bank and the corresponding response. A settlement file is also managed by PayWare and sent to the bank once the merchandise has been shipped to the consumer.
"We are delighted to be associated with Thrust's record attempt. As Thrust breaks new barriers, the Trintech/Microsoft Merchant Server payment solution also breaks new barriers as the first secure automated payment implementation in the UK," said Steve Howe, Managing Director, Trintech UK.
"This is another example of the flexibility of the NatWest Streamline card acquisition service. We were approached by Thrust to help them set up the full electronic payment service via the Internet and were pleased to be able to help," commented George Pace, Account Manager, Streamline Merchant Services. "This is breaking new ground and the commitment from NatWest Streamline to take the initiative, in an embryonic market, has enabled Thrust to take the lead and set up its own independent electronic commerce site - the first in the UK - and in record time!" Digital is the official hardware sponsor for ThrustSSC, supplying a range of PCs and servers. A key element of this are four HiNote PCs which will be used to collate vital facts and performance data from each run of the car in the desert. This data will be transmitted to the on-site Pit Station control centre using a Digital Roamabout radio Ethernet connection. From the Pit Station control centre the data will be uploaded from the Jordan desert via satellite link to the ThrustSSC UK Web server, ensuring that hundreds of thousands of Thrust's followers will be supplied with up-to-the-minute news on the team's progress. The site, which is powered by a Digital Alpha server, has attracted over 9 million hits to date and provides a daily update with reports, photographs and a special media information service for journalists. The Fuji Digital photos and up to the minute reports are factually accurate and are transmitted direct from the desert to the ThrustSSC web server by Hughes Satellite link. Photos and text are copyright free unless otherwise stated.
With such a quantity of information, presentation and accessibility have become crucial requirements and Microsoft has become key partners with Thrust in the management of the information. Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser technologies have made the presentation of the information smarter and easier to use, while Microsoft's BackOffice server range has allowed the construction of online databases of telemetry and photographic information.
On 25th August, the ThrustSSC team, headed by current speed record holder Richard Noble, OBE, will fly to the Black Rock Desert, Nevada for a head-to-head against US rival Spirit of America. The huge project was started in 1992 and the build time of the 10 tonne 110,000hp ThrustSSC car took up 100,000 man hours. Industrial support for all this has come from 229 companies; 80% of the finance has come from sponsorship and 20% from merchandise sales including the huge input from the project's Mach 1 Supporters Club.
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