Kia has launched CarPay, an in-car payment service that enables customers to pay for items and services from inside their vehicles. The service will debut in the EV3, and the first application is through Parkopedia. It will eventually be available in other Kia models.
Parkopedia is a service that helps drivers in Europe locate available parking and pay for it through the vehicle’s navigation screen. “Adding an in-car payment service is a significant advance for customer convenience as software and connectivity continue to expand the capability of a vehicle,” said Sjoerd Knipping, vice president of product and marketing at Kia Europe.
According to a survey by Parkopedia, parking remains challenging in big cities, with 92% of drivers in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US finding it difficult to locate available parking spots. This is more challenging for EV drivers, 49% of whom in France, Germany, Italy and the UK have received unexpected parking fines while charging.
“Kia CarPay adds significant convenience and from launch helps to alleviate one of the key pain points for drivers, simplifying the process of finding and paying for parking,” said Hans Puvogel, COO at Parkopedia.”
Parkopedia is integrated into vehicle navigation systems and helps drivers find the nearest available parking spot, detailing the costs involved and predicting the likely number of available spots. Kia CarPay then enables the customer to pay for parking through a secure transaction via a securely stored payment card, with no additional apps necessary.
Parkopedia’s parking payment service focuses primarily on outdoor and on-street parking, and the company plans to expand to indoor parking, such as garages. It currently provides access to more than 1.7 million parking spots in 19 European countries.
