Audi adding search for parking functionality to all connected models
Sat, 08 Jun 2013
To help its customers through the nightmare of finding urban parking spots, Audi has rolled out Inrix Park services as a standard no-cost feature bundled into its subscriber-based Audi Connect services. Accessed through the automaker's MMI navigation system, Inrix provides a way to check space availability, garage hours, compare rates and gauge proximity to more than 18,000 participating parking locations in the US.
"Helping to ease the challenges that Audi drivers face in their daily drives is the core mission of the Audi Connect suite of connected car services," said Filip Brabec, Director of Product Management, Audi of America. "By offering the ability to easily navigate to the best parking spot available for their vehicle, Audi has further simplified and improved the ownership experience."
The technology was announced at the Telematics Detroit 2013 conference this week, with Audi saying the integrated service should be easier to use than a smartphone - we gave it a whirl and it appeared intuitive and quick to respond. Based on the number of Audi models on the road, the automaker estimates that more than 100,000 of its US customers will be able to use the service with thousands of new owners joining them each month. For more information, check out the full press release below.
Audi adds innovative INRIX Park Service to Audi connect® services globally
• Audi is first automaker to offer INRIX Park worldwide
• Service immediately available to all Audi connect® subscribers at no added cost
• INRIX provides drivers with continuously updated pricing, hours and availability information for off-street participating parking locations in North America and Europe
Audi is simplifying the unpleasant task of finding off-street parking with the addition of INRIX Park – a real-time navigation service for all existing and new Audi connect® subscribers.
Demonstrated today for the first time at the annual Telematics Detroit 2013 conference, Audi is the first automaker to offer the breakthrough service developed by INRIX to customers around the world. It will be available immediately with all active Audi connect accounts. In the U.S. market, the service instantly brings new benefits to more than 100,000 Audi models already on the road today plus thousands more new vehicles sold every month.
"Helping to ease the challenges that Audi drivers face in their daily drives is the core mission of the Audi connect suite of connected car services," said Filip Brabec, Director of Product Management, Audi of America. "By offering the ability to easily navigate to the best parking spot available for their vehicle, Audi has further simplified and improved the ownership experience."
With the INRIX Park, Audi connect customers gain the ability to easily compare rates, gauge proximity to their destination and get turn-by-turn directions the entrances for more than 18,000 participating parking locations in the U.S. and 42,000 more across Europe. The roster of available parking destinations will continue to grow as data on the locations and available spaces builds.
Audi and INRIX demonstrated the technology today at the Telematics Detroit 2013 conference.
"Together with Audi we're making it easier to get new integrated navigation services in your vehicle than it is to update your smartphone," said Bryan Mistele, President and CEO of INRIX. "With drivers looking for parking accounting for up to a third of all traffic in our cities, INRIX Park demonstrates how new data driven services can help drivers save time and frustration on the road".
Key feature benefits include:
• Find available parking closest to a destination; save favorite locations
• Compare by distance or current price; prices include the rates charged for length of time parked
• Navigate with precision via the most direct route to the closest entrance from the vehicle's location.
Audi offers vehicle owners this newly launched service through Audi MMI® Navigation equipped vehicles with Audi connect* in the U.S. Delivered via the INRIX platform, the parking service is available as part of an options package that includes Bluetooth® mobile phone connectivity, INRIX's dynamic fuel price service as well as real-time news, local traffic, travel and weather information.
INRIX Park allows search beyond a static point of interest to navigate to the closest available parking location and best entrance based on the drivers' approach route and traffic, pricing including hourly scaling and the number of available spaces.
By Michael Harley