Uber launches parking reservations in 15 US cities

Uber launched Uber Parking on 9 November, a service that lets users find and reserve parking spots in 15 US cities, including Chicago, Nashville, San Francisco, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and Washington, DC. The service is built on the company's acquisition of SpotHero, which was announced in February. Uber said the acquisition brings more than 13,000 garages, lots and valet services across more than 400 cities onto its platform.cnet.com+1

The new feature is accessed through a Parking icon on the Uber app's home screen. Users enter their destination, select a date and time, and view available spots on an interactive map with upfront pricing. Filters allow users to choose between self-parking or valet, and covered garages or surface lots. To book, users provide their vehicle's make, model and license plate number, then pay through their Uber Wallet.

How Uber Parking works

Once booked, users receive a Parking Pass with a QR code for entry, or they can use license plate recognition at the garage. Most parking options can be canceled for free up to the start time, and reservations can be extended through the app. Uber One members earn 10 percent back in Uber credits on eligible reservations, which can be used on future rides and Uber Eats orders.

The launch follows Uber's acquisition of SpotHero, a parking reservation app, in February. The SpotHero brand and app will not go away, though customers might see branding for SpotHero by Uber on garage signage. Uber said the initial rollout focuses on commuters driving their own vehicles, but the company also plans to use the parking spots for autonomous vehicle fleets.techcrunch.com+1

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said earlier this month that the company wants the app to be more relevant to commuters. "Commute is one of our largest categories," he said during Uber's third-quarter earnings call. "And to be able to offer commuters an Uber to work, a pass to avoid surge, and parking if they want it when they want to drive is a great example of us building out our inventory of services to the commuter who is a top customer for us."

Expansion and AV plans

Uber Parking is the latest in a series of efforts to build an ecosystem of products that keep customers engaged with the app, from ride-hailing and food delivery to car rentals and hotel bookings. The company said it plans to expand Uber Parking from 15 launch cities to over 400 across the US and Canada in the coming weeks and months.

Uber also plans to experiment with using parking lots as staging and waiting areas for autonomous vehicles. The company said this could reduce deadheading, which refers to the miles a vehicle travels without a paying passenger or cargo on board, as well as congestion and vehicle wear. Uber has more than 30 autonomous vehicle partners.

Amit Fulay, vice president of product at Uber, said in an interview that parking is a natural extension of the company's mission. "Our mission is to help people get around, and this seemed like a very natural thing for us to solve, given how painful parking is today," he said. "If we can bring that ease that we have for rides into the app, it fits with helping people move."

Uber One, the company's membership program, is a key part of the strategy. The program has grown to more than 55 million members as of 30 September, and Uber is offering members 10 percent back in credits on eligible parking reservations. Uber One costs $10 per month and includes perks like no delivery fee on food and grocery orders.

The parking service is available in the Uber app starting 9 November. Uber said it will expand to more cities in the coming weeks and months, with the goal of covering over 400 cities across the US and Canada. The company also plans to explore using the parking network for delivery drivers in areas where parking is difficult to find.