Volvo is developing self-filling cars that would never need to visit a petrol station, according to reports in the Daily Mail.

When the tank is close to empty, the car would send a message via smartphone to a mobile fuel supplier to come and fill it up.

The supplier would have a secure one-off code to open up the fuel cap, freeing the owner to park the vehicle and be elsewhere.

The Daily Mail reports that Volvo never officially talks about innovations and simply said “maybe” when asked about the concept.

However, the Swedish firm’s head of technology, Klas Bendrik, told the newspaper: “The widespread use of smartphones is unlocking new potential in what you can do connecting a car with a customer.

“The internet of things has hit the automotive industry and the widespread use of smartphones is unlocking new potential in what you can do connecting a car with a customer.”

Some Volvo cars already allow their drivers to activate de-icers remotely from the comfort of their home.

And the same cars can be made to sound their horn and flash their lights to help owners locate them in car parks.