Uber Parking is built on the company’s acquisition of SpotHero.
After cementing itself as a ride-hailing platform, Uber wants to own the way people park, too. The company announced it was acquiring SpotHero, a parking reservation service, in February, and starting today it’s bringing SpotHero’s features into its own app as Uber Parking.
Using Uber Parking, you can find garages and lots near your destination and make reservations so you’ll have a spot once you get there. Uber says you can search for parking by tapping the new Parking icon in the Uber app, entering your destination and browsing the interactive map of available spots. You can also filter your results based on criteria like whether you want to self-park or use a valet, or other specific amenities.
To book a spot, you’ll need to provide the make and model of your car and a license plate number. Depending on your lot, Uber will then provide a QR code or you’ll be able to enter the garage through license plate recognition. If you need to cancel, the company says the majority of parking options can be canceled for free up to the start time. Parking reservations can also be extended through the app. Uber One subscribers get 10 percent back in Uber credits on eligible reservations.
When it announced its acquisition, Uber said SpotHero offered garages and lots across more than 400 cities in the US and Canada, but the company isn’t offering all of them at launch. For now, Uber says Uber Parking will be available in Chicago, Nashville, San Francisco, Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Dallas, Denver, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Diego, Seattle and Washington DC. The company also plans to experiment with using lots as a staging area for the autonomous vehicle fleets offered by Uber’s self-driving partners.
