Drivers of BMW vehicles in Germany and Austria can now use a new parking payments feature which uses Parkopedia’s in-vehicle payment platform integrated into the OEM’s Operating System 7 and 8. The new service means drivers can now locate and pay for parking while staying in their car by using the vehicle’s infotainment system or the My BMW App.
BMW’s in-vehicle parking feature will be activated overnight via an over-the-air update, with no action needed by the driver. Once a driver arrives at their chosen parking location, Parkopedia’s payment platform enables interactions between payable locations and the vehicle’s sensors to automatically show payment functions before suggesting the driver should pay at certain locations. If parking by the minute is an option, the platform ends the parking transaction as soon as the BMW vehicle leaves the location.
The Parking Payments service from BMW and Parkopedia delivers Single Sign-On capabilities that enable a driver to log in to their respective BMW ConnectedDrive account or BMW ID to activate the Park Payments service. Payment methods can then be saved using a QR code displayed on the vehicle’s infotainment system.
Parkopedia’s granular data and technology enables accurate geofences to be created, resulting in automated payment requests or triggers for BMW customers within specified areas. This negates the need for smartphone apps or parking machines.
Following the platform’s launch in Germany and Austria, the service will be rolled out in additional countries in Europe from next year. A gradual rollout was chosen by BMW so it can collect customer feedback from Germany and Austria to ensure the software benefits from improvements before reaching other European countries.
