Google Maps Now Lets You Feed Your Parking Meter

The newest tech upgrade to your driving experience: paying for metered parking right from the Google Maps app. As Kirsten Korosec writes for TechCrunch, after a trial run in Austin, the "feature will expand first via Android to more than 400 U.S. cities, including Boston, Cincinnati, Houston, Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C." With the demand for contactless payment options growing as a result of COVID-19 precautions, Google's partnership with transportation software companies Passport and ParkMobile offers a compelling option for drivers wanting to avoid contact with public facilities.

"When navigating with Google Maps on iOS and Android, drivers in certain cities in the U.S. will see an option to pay for parking with Google Pay as they approach their destination. This means a user has to set up a Google Pay account, which is linked to a credit or debit card," according to Korosec. The app will also let customers add time to their meter without going back to their car.

Google is also working with more than 80 global transit agencies to integrate fare purchases, route planning, and digital fare cards into its Maps app.