Uber now lets you reserve and pay for parking
What's the story
Uber has launched a new service allowing users to reserve and pay for parking in major US cities. The move comes nearly nine months after the ride-hailing giant acquired SpotHero, a parking app. The acquisition gave Uber access to more than 13,000 garages, lots, and valet services across over 400 cities.
Future plans
Parking spots could also be used by autonomous vehicles
While Uber's immediate focus is on human drivers, the company also plans to use these parking spots for its many partners in the autonomous vehicle space.
The spots could serve as staging and waiting areas for these self-driving cars, helping reduce congestion and deadheading (the distance traveled without a passenger or cargo).
Service rollout
Service will be initially available in 15 US cities
Uber's parking service will initially be available in 15 US cities: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York City (NYC), Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington DC.
The company's CEO Dara Khosrowshahi had said earlier this month that they want their app to be more relevant to commuters.
Strategic expansion
Part of Uber's strategy to create a 1-stop app
The parking service is part of Uber's larger strategy to create an ecosystem of products that keep customers engaged with its app.
This includes everything from hailing rides and ordering food/groceries to package delivery, car rentals, hotel bookings, and public transit/robotaxis connectivity.
The company's membership program, Uber One, also plays a key role in this strategy by offering rewards and credits to subscribers.