The final piece of the navigation puzzle has finally arrived. Today we have intelligent global positioning devices and smartphones outfitted with navigation apps that guide us to our destinations, estimate the time of arrival, show and adapt to traffic conditions, even find points of interest along the way, and now we have apps that tell us where to park. We all know how stressful it is to circle the mean streets of Boston looking for a spot while running late for a meeting. Well the boys over at Parking in Motion are working to end the stress that comes with searching for a parking space.
Founders Sam Friedman and Alexander Israel have created a database of more than 20,000 parking lots throughout the US, Canada and Europe and aim to provide drivers with real time parking information allowing them to route a destination find and pay for a parking space. PIM features include:
– Parking locations displayed on a map
– Rates, hours and entrances marked by small arrows
– Occupancy information
– Street meter locations, street sign restrictions
– Ability to reserve and pay for a space
Smartphone users can download the app for free, instantly ending parking anxiety. After the install users are able to pin point their location and view all parking lots in the area. The lots are colored blue and have a small “$” sign balloons designating different price ranges. Parking lots with a shopping cart symbol are capable of reserving spaces. Simply tap on one of these symbols to pull up an information tab that includes, the address, rates, hours of operation, owner information, phone number, and a list of other parking lots in the area.
An article from TheNextWeb explains how Parking in Motion is really excited about using their program to enhance navigation devices like TomTom and Garmin GPS systems. Imagine you’re GPS providing you with directions, reserving a parking space and wirelessly paying for it. Now that’s the high life! The software will also recommend parking lots as you approach your destination.
PIM is equipped with an airport feature that lists major airports and all parking locations in close proximity making it an excellent app for travelers.
I was very skeptical at first but after using the application I was very impressed by the simplicity and amount of information provided. The app is well put together and seems to be very useful. Here is run down of the features and their effectiveness.
Street meter availability is a tall hurdle to overcome. Without the proper technology PIM has to rely on user generated data and Google’s Open Spot showed the parking world how ineffective this type of data is. An article on allcartech.com explained why user generate data just doesn’t work.
The map feature powered by Google provided a lot of useful information and was simple to use. However, the load time was a bit sluggish due to the amount of data required. I found the parking lot info tab to be flawless. It provided the user with everything needed to choose a parking location. The only question I have is how reliable the occupancy information is. Parking in Motion has to rely on parking lot staff to make updates and I question the dependability during peak hours and close to real-time the info really is. The reserve a spot feature was present but there was very few and most required printer access.
I would definitely recommend this app for travelers of all shapes and sizes. If nothing else this it shows you where to park and how much is going to cost and I like it!
Have you tried Parking in Motion or any other parking assistance apps?
