More than one-third of American adults agree: Finding parking in many major cities is such a pain that they’re ditching driving to avoid the hassle. But with Ford’s new FordPass® platform, drivers can eliminate that anxiety — and avoid a showdown over parking — before they even get into their car.
FordPass is a free digital, physical and personal platform designed not only to alleviate anxiety over parking, but to offer mobility solutions for everyone — car owners and non-car owners alike. The app allows users to locate, book and pay for garage parking in more than 160 cities across the United States, saving time and avoiding the hassle of hunting for a place to park.
“Finding and paying for parking is one of the biggest pain points for drivers,” says Elena Ford, Ford Motor Company’s VP of Global Dealer and Consumer Experience. “This new feature is just one of many ways we are delivering better, smarter, more efficient mobility solutions for consumers.”
With park and pay now available on the FordPass platform, members can access these new features by downloading the latest FordPass update on their smartphone.
Search, click, pay, park
By entering their destination into FordPass, drivers can view all available supported parking areas nearby, see how much parking there costs, set up their wallet in FordPay, then opt to pay for parking in advance.
Parking availability is updated in real-time, so drivers always have up-to-date information throughout their trip. FordPass even allows users to bookmark their favorite parking for repeat use in the future, making once-frustrating trips potentially more convenient than ever.
Ford has integrated these features into its FordPass platform not just because trying to find parking in a crowded area can be frustrating, but it wastes precious time: A recent Harris Poll reveals commuters going to work or school report spend an average of 14 minutes looking for parking. Those out running errands don’t fare much better, reporting 12 minutes trying to park. For someone searching for parking just once a day in a typical five-day work week, it adds up — at least one hour a week is wasted driving around in circles.
This daily grind has 34 percent of respondents saying they use other modes of transportation — such as public transit, ride-sharing services and taxis — rather than driving. In fact, respondents said the No. 1 advantage of ride-hailing services is not saving time or money, but eliminating the worry involved with searching for parking.
Reinventing the customer experience
There are four benefits for FordPass members: Ford Marketplace includes mobility services such as parking; Ford Guides help consumers move more efficiently; Ford Appreciation recognizes members for their loyalty; and Ford Hubs, urban storefronts where consumers can experience Ford’s latest innovations. The first of these opens later this year at Westfield World Trade Center in New York, followed by Ford Hubs in San Francisco, London and Shanghai.
Ford is moving full steam ahead in efforts to drive its Smart Mobility Plan forward: Just last week, the automaker announced its plan to have a ride-sharing service featuring high-volume, fully autonomous, Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)-defined level 4-capable vehicles in commercial operation by 2021. To get there, the company is investing in or collaborating with four startups to enhance its autonomous vehicle development, doubling its Silicon Valley team and more than doubling its Palo Alto campus.
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Published Aug 25, 2016 7pm EDT / 4pm PDT / 12am BST / 1am CEST