Parking space is the new gold for drivers globally

Determining parking space availability near destinations is now the top requested in-car connected service for drivers around the world, according to the latest Connected Features Interest Survey Report by TechInsights.

The report assessed 28 connected features, with 4,990 drivers in the US, UK, Germany, France, Italy and China asked to rank their interest in each service to gauge demand.

Driving-related functionality, such as assessing the availability of parking spaces near a destination, traffic alerts and being able to pay for parking, fuel and tolls from the car are among the most desirable features globally.

In-car parking information was ranked as the most valuable feature cited by Chinese drivers, while European motorists classed it as their second priority — only 1% behind the top-rated choice. American respondents placed it at 67%, just 3% behind their top priority, traffic information.

Drivers in Western Europe and China are also more concerned about whether they will be able to find parking at their destination. Additionally, those with larger vehicles have a higher preference to reserve spaces at their destination. The survey results show drivers’ increasing expectation for parking to be seamlessly integrated into the in-car navigation process.

Opinions on being alerted about events such as traffic incidents vary considerably, especially among younger US drivers who heavily favour having parking availability over alerts.

Meanwhile, the survey data show drivers gaining increased confidence using in-car payments. This feature has gone from being predominantly used by early adopters to a highly desirable function, with a probability of choice for 56% of global respondents and ranking just 12% behind the top global priority.

The survey also highlights how fashionable new features such as in-car games, email or social media integrations and calendar management, which are now available in an increasing range of cars, are typically seen as far less desirable than those that are journey-related.

Commenting on the survey results, Duncan Licence, Chief Product Officer at Parkopedia, said: “As our roads get busier and drivers’ lives become more hectic, we are not surprised to see the continued rise in demand for journey-related connected features that make driving safer and more convenient.