Google is integrating and extending the ability to pay for parking and public transport fares directly from the Google Maps mobile app.
The update, which leverages the Google Pay platform, will enable travellers to pay for their journey or parking spot just by using the Maps app.
In a post on the Keyword blog, Google announced it has secured arrangements with 80 public transport agencies around the world, allowing users to pay for their trip in advance using Google Pay.
“Now you’ll be able to plan your trip, buy your fare, and start riding without needing to toggle between multiple apps,” the company wrote in the blog post. “Once you’ve purchased your fare, all you need to do is tap your phone on the reader or show your digital ticket to breeze on board.”
The ability to pay for parking via Google Maps and Google Pay is partly geared towards ensuring a contactless experience. Why go mauling the parking meter, when you can just do it within the app? is Google’s ethos.
The hook-up with Passport and Park Mobile (two of the major US mobile parking apps) will enable users to pay for parking from the driving navigation screen in Maps. This will mean drivers can “avoid touching the meter altogether,” Google says.
The company adds: “Simply tap on the “Pay for Parking” button that appears as you near your destination. Then enter your meter number, the amount of time you want to park for, and tap “Pay.” Need to add more time to your meter? Easily extend your parking session with just a few taps.”
Google has been quite diligent in adding Maps features that can aid users during the pandemic. It has added information on testing and vaccine sites, as well as eligibility, for example. Earlier it alerted users to Covid hotspots.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
