Now you can pay for parking right from Google Maps
Drivers in the US can now pay for parking-meter fees directly from Google Maps via a new "Pay for Parking" button that pops up on the phone as they approach a destination.
The new parking-payment option comes by way of an integration between Google Maps and parking-payments apps Passport and ParkMobile. After finding a location, users enter the meter number, the time desired for parking, and then tap "Pay."
Innovation
Paying for parking from a parking app doesn't sound that remarkable these days, but paying directly from Google Maps, which knows the destination already, seems convenient.
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Pay for parking is rolling out now on Android in over 400 cities in the U.S, including Boston, Cincinnati, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Washington D.C, and more. Google says the pay for parking feature is coming to iOS soon.
The Google Maps payment service is available for payment cards linked to a Google Pay account.
While the Google Maps feature for paying for parking is for the United States, Google is rolling out the same payment capability in Maps with 80 transit agencies around the world.
"Now you'll be able to plan your trip, buy your fare, and start riding without needing to toggle between multiple apps," says Vishal Dutta, a product manager for Google Maps.
The option to pay for transit from Google Maps is coming to Android in the coming weeks.
There is of course a public health pitch behind the service from Google because it will help people avoid touching parking meters.
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"These days, people are upping their hand sanitizing game and avoiding touching public surfaces as much as possible," says Dutta.
"You can now easily pay your meter right from driving navigation in Maps, and avoid touching the meter altogether."