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BMW and Daimler will combine their transportation services
If it seems ridiculous that virtually every major car manufacturer has its own suite of transportation services, you're not alone. BMW and Daimler have announced a plan to combine their mobility services in a 50/50 joint venture. Car2Go and DriveNow/ReachNow will unite their car sharing efforts, for example, while ChargeNow and Digital Charging Solutions would team up on EV power. Ride hailing, parking are also part of the proposed union.
BMW buys a parking app in hopes of tackling urban traffic
Automakers increasingly see parking as the next great frontier, and BMW is no exception. It just bought Parkmobile, which it says is the largest mobile parking services provider in North America. This isn't BMW's first parking initiative, but it promises to help the German brand craft a parking offering it can market around the world. And notably, this isn't just about finding a way to profit beyond selling cars -- if you ask BMW, it's about solving traffic woes.
New York City now lets you pay for parking with your phone
New York City is making good on its promise to have smarter parking meters before 2016 is over. As of December 19th, the first ParkNYC-capable Muni-Meters are live in midtown Manhattan -- you can now pay for parking through a smartphone app (or the web, or a call) instead of fishing for cards and coins. While you'll need to load a virtual wallet, you can extend your parking if you're in danger of running out. The days of racing to the meter to top it up will soon be over, then, but so are the days of pleading with traffic officers when you're a little too late.
Ford Sync will soon let you order pizza while on the road
Ever wish you could (safely) order pizza while driving home? You'll have that chance soon. Ford has just announced Sync AppLink support in five apps that could prove handy for many commuters, including Domino's Pizza. An upcoming version of the eatery's software will let you dictate orders without taking your hands off the wheel. New editions of Parkopedia and Parkmobile, meanwhile, will respectively help you find and pay for parking. ADT's Pulse app will verify that your house is safe and sound, and an update to HABU later this month will send mood-setting tunes to the car stereo. It's not clear just when all of the new apps will be AppLink-ready, but it shouldn't be long before you're asking for an extra-large Pacific Veggie while you're stuck in traffic.
Parkmobile adds NFC to its parking payment repertoire
Let's face it, whether you're down at the laundromat or feeding the meter on a busy street, you can never find enough quarters when you need'em. Know what effectively sidesteps that lack of foresight? NFC, that's what. And that tap-to-pay convenience is ready to roll out for folks in Oakland, CA courtesy of Atlanta-based Parkmobile. There's no great mystery to the company's purpose -- the name says it all -- as it specializes in payment solutions for (what else?) parking. With the installment of special near field-equipped stickers on meters throughout that West Coast city, fine-fearing citizens will now have one extra payment option beyond the outfit's currently available mobile app and internet transactions. Naturally, you'll have to sign-up online to get started, but after that you'll never have to fear the meter maid again.
