For parking, the company has partnered with two technology providers – Passport and ParkMobile – that will connect Google Maps to street parking meters. When people are using Google Maps to navigate to a destination, the app automatically asks them to “pay for parking”. They can then enter the meter number, the amount of time they want to park and click “pay”.
The new feature of paying for parking will also allow users to extend the time on the parking meter remotely.
For users who rely on public transport, Google says it is expanding the ability to pay public transport fares through the app: it will now connect to more than 80 public transport agencies worldwide. As users plan their trip, Google Maps shows you how to pay for the trip and allows them to do so in advance using a credit or debit card saved in their Google Pay wallet. So, when they arrive at the station, they can go on their way without having to take out their wallet or switch to another application.
“After purchasing the fare, all you have to do is touch the phone on the reader or show your digital ticket to make it easier on board,” said Google.
While many people still spend a lot of time at home because of the pandemic, these resources are likely to be useful as more people are vaccinated and the reopening continues.