No matter where you are and more specifically, where you drive, parking is usually an issue. Granted, it is more of an issue for those driving in more built-up areas and certainly for those in major cities around the world. In fact, according to data quoted in a new INRIX press release today, the average driver wastes as much as 55 hours per year searching for somewhere to park. Therefore, anything that makes finding a parking space easier, is likely to be welcomed.
Speaking of which, that is exactly what INRIX announced today during the same press release. INRIX has now teamed up with Google’s Waze to integrate its parking knowledge into the crowd-sourced driving app. So now, as well as Waze being able to provide users with a ton of user-related data (like the ability to alert users of any event-related traffic that might be building up), the app will also be able to help point those same users to the nearest parking space(s) available near their location (or destination).
Much of the new functionality will be incorporated into Waze’s new ‘Where to Park’ feature and the way it will work, is that as you approach your destination, the app will advise whether or not you want to be directed to available parking. If yes is selected, then the parking spot will become your ultimate destination. What makes this feature even better is that thanks to the INRIX integration, the results of those parking space suggestions will take into consideration price. Which is an example of the type of clever features that INRIX has been offering for quite some time. In addition to partnering with Samsung early in 2015 to bring additional driving tools to the likes of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, this is also the company who last year picked up ParkMe – an app which helps its users ‘find and pay for the perfect spot’. So the combination of Waze and Google’s already-capable traffic monitoring systems with that of INRIX, is likely to be quite a useful feature for Waze users going forward. If you have yet to download Waze, you can grab a copy of the app through the link below.