You can now reserve parking spaces in Google Maps, just like in Apple Maps
When you plan a trip in Google Maps, the app can cover almost any part of the trip except parking. Thanks to a new partnership with SpotHero, it can now do that too.
SpotHero just announced that its parking system will be available to Google Maps users in the US and Canada, allowing you to reserve parking spaces at more than 8,000 locations in more than 300 cities.
When you plan a trip, you can find a parking spot nearby and the app will direct you to SpotHero from within the app. To see the option, just type the name of a location plus “parking” into the Google Maps search bar in the app or on the desktop. You will then see options displayed as pins on the map, which you can also view by clicking ‘show list’.
Once you’ve chosen a location with bookable parking, you can tap ‘reserve’ or ‘book online’. This will take you to a SpotHero landing page within Google Maps, where you can view the available dates and time slots. If you’re happy with the cost, you can book it without creating an account (thanks to a ‘continue as guest’ option).
Not just for last-minute parking
The parking function is not just for the here and now: you can also plan your trip and reserve a parking space in advance. And in addition to parking spots, this feature also lets you search for specific must-haves, like wheelchair accessibility, EV charging, and even valet parking services.
This is not the first time that Google has collaborated with a parking provider: in the past it did the same with ParkMobile. But it’s part of a broader effort to make Maps more useful, and should tie in nicely with the Destination Guidance feature announced over the summer: including “showing nearby parking” close to your destination.
It’s also part of a larger push for SpotHero: It’s already working with Apple to bring the same features to US and Canadian users of Apple Maps.
SpotHero says it already serves more than 10 million U.S. and Canadian drivers, and has sold more than $1.5 billion in parking reservations. If you own a parking space, SpotHero would be happy to consider you for inclusion in exchange for a 35% discount: you can find out more about that on the SpotHero website [PDF].
We asked SpotHero if it was considering expansion outside the US and Canada, but a spokesperson simply told us that “at this time we plan to continue expanding in the US and Canada.”
