Video: One platform to pay them all

Parkopedia has announced a new global multi-domain payment platform being rolled out this year to enable drivers to seamlessly pay for parking, EV charging, refuelling and tolls.

The platform solves the time-consuming and expensive task for automakers of aggregating a large number of suppliers and payment providers into a single, integrated payment platform.

Single sign-on capability (SSO) is provided for drivers which will be accessible via vehicle infotainment systems in combination with websites and mobile apps.

Parkopedia launched in-car payments in 2014 with the successful parking payments platform delivered in partnership with Volvo.

Now, it’s planning to simplify how drivers make payments for their wider vehicle-based purchases by consolidating multiple global merchants into one account.

Parkopedia’s new platform aggregates merchants and eliminates existing barriers to entry, such as the need to swipe a card to unlock an EV charging station, or to pay for fuel.

Automakers offering drivers the ability to pay for services using the vehicle head unit have seen accelerated growth in this area, as contactless payment method demands have increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

Research shows integrated voice assistants will be vital in driving in-car commerce sales of more than US$11 billion by 2025, up from US$12m in 2020.

Voice assistant services such as Cerence and SoundHound are already integrated with Parkopedia for parking and will continue to enable seamless purchases from behind the wheel, now covering the wider vehicle-centric domains in the new platform.

Vehicle head unit integration allows for interaction between vehicle sensors and transactable locations, enabling the vehicle to suggest to the driver to digitally pay for parking or to charge at a specific location; where they can pre-book based on ETA or available range.

This unveils entirely new service markets for automakers to create unique in-car user experiences and differentiate them from disconnected smartphone apps, at the same time avoiding distraction, Parkopedia says.

SSO capabilities cover all merchants, all connected car services and the associated payments and provides full payment card industry (PCI) data security compliance, avoiding multiple accounts and apps.

By 2025, 77% of all in-vehicle payment spend will be associated with EV charging and fuelling. Electric motoring typically has a high amount of fragmentation and complexity when it comes to charging at public charging stations.

Parkopedia’s payment platform gives drivers an end-to-end frictionless experience to activate and pay for charging from their vehicle, without any additional authentication or accounts required.

It also allows a seamless and complete digital fuelling experience for the driver – which includes plug-in hybrids (PHEVs). Once a driver is notified fuel is low, they will be presented with live fuel pricing for comparison and guided to their preferred station. Once on-site, the platform activates the pump, initiates the transaction and safely manages the payment from the vehicle. Discounts and loyalty offers can be applied automatically, as well as the mailing of electronic receipts.

The transition towards smart cities, with tolling systems for entry and exit, will require digital systems capable of charging an account holder the appropriate amount by the transmission of information from the vehicle to the toll lane.

Parkopedia will provide an automated, all-digital customer payment experience for tolling stations and chargeable zones.

It’s similar to the existing Access & Pay parking service from Parkopedia which means drivers can enter or exit parking sites by using vehicle identifying technology and billed on a monthly basis.

 “We are already the market leader for in-vehicle parking payments, so expanding across other key areas of the integrated payments market simply makes sense for our customers,” Parkopedia chief operating officer Hans Puvogel says.

“Our effective single sign-on solution will drastically reduce both the complexities and associated costs for OEMs in this space. Our aim is to deliver a better experience for all involved as we move towards a more connected and automated future.”

Parkopedia chief executive and founder Eugene Tsyrklevich says the past year has proved that the future is with digital payments.

“How drivers pay is changing and we are witnessing the growth of electric vehicle sales and charging as well as contact-free fuelling and the emerging smart city toll payments.

“The platform was created to simplify and automate this complex area for both businesses and consumers alike.”

Connected car services provider Parkopedia is used by millions of drivers and organisations such as Audi, Apple, BMW, Ford, Garmin, GM, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot, Sygic, TomTom, Toyota, Volkswagen, and many more.

It helps drivers in 15,000 cities across 89 countries, including Australia and New Zealand.  

Parkopedia is also a founding member of the Autonomous Valet Parking consortium, developing highly detailed parking maps and corresponding algorithms to help self-driving vehicles navigate to an open parking space and park autonomously.