INRIX and ParkU partner to deliver a complete in-car connected parking experience for european drivers

• INRIX and ParkU to integrate payment transactions directly into car navigation systems for 55 cities in 10 European countries

• European drivers can now find, route to, reserve, and pay for parking at ParkU’s participating locations directly from their car’s dashboard

• ParkU integrates INRIX’s parking information for six million parking spaces in 30 countries

INRIX, Inc., the global leader in connected car services and transportation analytics, and Germany-based ParkU, a provider of off-street parking reservations in 10 countries in Europe, have entered into a strategic partnership to bring embedded payment and reservation technology to the dashboard of connected cars.

With immediate effect, the partnership provides automobile manufacturers with the opportunity to create an embedded, end-to-end parking experience helping European drivers find, reserve, and pay for parking directly using their in-car dashboard. ParkU’s reservation and payment locations will be incorporated into INRIX’s automotive parking solution to empower European drivers with a complete parking experience, all from within the connected car. This integrated platform will give drivers the ability to reserve and pay for parking spaces in 55 European cities.

“For many, parking your vehicle can be the most stressful part of driving, especially if you are looking for a space in a congested area or in a location you do not know very well,” said Alex Israel, General Manager and Vice President, Parking, INRIX. “Our partnership with ParkU aims to remove this worry and give our European automotive customers the opportunity to offer drivers a complete embedded connected car parking experience. More and more drivers are demanding parking services in their next vehicle purchase and this partnership helps bring this closer to reality.”

ParkU is Europe’s leading parking app and currently gives car drivers the ability to find, book and pay for a parking space in advance of arrival. Thanks to the technical integration of INRIX’s comprehensive off-street parking database, the ParkU app now empowers drivers to compare different parking options, advise on availability and occupancy level of spaces in parking garages or on private ground, as well as location, distance, opening hours, tariffs, payment methods and height restrictions.

"Finding, reserving and paying for parking has always been at the heart of our service. This partnership with INRIX is an excellent opportunity to enhance and strengthen our all-in-one parking customer offering providing all relevant parking reservation and information services in just one app,” comments Adriaan Mensink, CEO of ParkU. “Firstly, we can now expand our parking reservation service directly into in-car connected car navigation systems. Secondly, ParkU app users can now view up-to-date information for more than six million parking spaces across 30 countries.”

Since its launch in 2013, ParkU quickly developed operations in the DACH region and in the Netherlands offering parking reservation services in inner cities and at airports in 55 European cities. Along with a filter function for types, properties and fees, the app features a comprehensive range of parking options such as parking garages, airport and cruise port parking, P+R services, peer-to-peer parking and more, allowing drivers to always find their best possible parking space.

This strategic partnership with ParkU enables INRIX to expand its embedded parking reservation and payment platform ecosystem into the European market. Building on the launch of INRIX’s parking reservation and payment solution for automakers in May 2016, this agreement will expand INRIX’s parking payment coverage by adding ParkU’s locations for 55 European cities, giving automakers the ability to offer an end-to-end parking experience to even more drivers around the world.

INRIX launched the industry’s first dynamic off-street parking service in 2013, followed by the first integrated on-street parking solution in June 2015. In August 2015, INRIX acquired ParkMe, a leader in parking location, availability and reservations worldwide. In January 2016, the company was recognized by SBD for its comprehensive and accurate parking data in the U.S. and Europe.

INRIX Parking currently includes street-level parking information in over 30 cities worldwide, and an off-street parking database with more than 29 million spaces in over 90,000 locations spanning 4,500 cities in 65 countries. INRIX is the preferred provider of parking information and services to leading automakers, including Audi, BMW, Lexus, and Porsche, as well as transportation agencies and drivers around the world.