Blockchains can enable communication and micro payments between machines, without human intervention. The economy of machines is an emerging field that will prove crucial in steering innovation in automation.
Project Oaken is an award-winning, Ethereum-based, smart contract project that uses the IoT to pay automated tolls to tolling booths for self-drive and manual cars. The prototype was tested successfully using Tesla, resulting in a $100K win at the Dubai Blockchain Hackathon. Currently, Oaken Innovations have teamed up with Toyota research and MIT Media Labs to research such prototypes for an autonomous drive future.