Parking App Development: A-Z Guide for the Automobile Industry

Digital solutions do more for us than only improve our comfort levels. Even in situations where business procedures are extremely complicated and unclear, they aid in establishing company possibilities and processes. Virtually every aspect of human existence has been impacted by digitalization and each year, these changes will only get greater.

What are we discussing? We are referring to people’s daily activities and various technological tools that help them become more manageable. Take a parking app, for instance. Customers can pay with a credit card, locate their car amid hundreds of other vehicles, and find a parking space more quickly.

Learn more about car parking app development. This blog contains information about the several kinds of parking applications already available, as well as the steps involved in developing a parking app and its features. Let’s drive through you!

How Does a Parking Spot Application Work?

The operation of parking apps works on a very basic concept. An app’s search capabilities come first. Users can type in the address of the location they would want to park their car or locate a parking lot nearby.

Users can filter options in a certain district if there are several available and select the best fit for them. After they decide, they can go ahead and reserve a parking space. They can pay with cash (or a QR code) after parking their car or instantly using internet banking.

At last, they can navigate to parking from their current location. The spot is already reserved, so there’s no need to drive as quickly as you can.

Car Park App Business Models You Should Know

The development of a parking app always comes before choosing a business plan. It outlines the features that a product must have to satisfy all requirements and allow for future development. Every application, including tracking systems and apps for parking sharing, needs a car parking app development business plan.

Since there are many similar parking apps on the market right now, you should research the business strategies that your rivals typically employ. We’ll examine three fundamental models that are utilized by various parking applications.

Model based on navigation. This is the most basic feature that certain parking apps employ. Users can identify a parking lot close to where they are right now. Since reservations cannot be made in advance, the primary function of these apps is parking assistance. Moreover, this business model may be the foundation of your MVP.

Model-based on booking and navigation. An enhanced model with reservation procedures and navigation. To park a car in a designated location, users reserve a slot and head there. Users can see the way to a reserved location via navigation. These apps offer multiple ways to pay: cash on arrival or cashless with a card.

A complete service framework. The most costly business plan is this one, but it comes with all the fancy features a parking software can offer. In addition to pre-booking options, consumers can, for example, extend the booking period if they arrive late. Additionally, some parking applications include valet parking services.

How to Create a Parking App?

We have now arrived at the main section of the guide: a step-by-step tutorial on creating a parking app. Pay close attention to this part as it contains important procedures for developing mobile apps for parking. Nonetheless, our sales staff is available to you at all times if you have any questions.

Business Plan 

Regarding business models, the material above has previously been shown to you. However, in addition to business models, you need to draft a business strategy outlining the most important considerations. That is, you must record the anticipated project budget, target market, location, revenue streams, company name, potential dangers, and hazards.

Analyze Competitors

This phase will assist you in writing a business plan. You must evaluate current apps, identify their advantages and disadvantages, and formulate a development plan. It will make you stand out from rivals and provide potential clients with reliable solutions.

Coordinate With Local Services

Getting in contact with nearby companies who are eager to boost their revenue for your on-demand app development services will help you attract new clients. For instance, gas stations, rest areas, and locations for charging electric vehicles.

Recruit an App Development Team

A large variety makes you feel uncomfortable because there are a lot of software development companies in the world. But you should concentrate on Eastern European development firms, as they could offer you a premium service at a reasonable price. You shouldn’t refrain from software development outsourcing since it’s a common practice. Hire experienced developers who are also skilled in creating robust IoT app development services or say they can integrate modern solutions to your car application.

Select the Essential Parking App Features

List the features that are necessary for your parking app. While the elements of a minimally viable product can change depending on the needs of the parking app, there are usually some essential functionalities. Keep in mind that MVP is important; our article has additional information on it. Regarding features, every function required for a parking app will be covered in the following section.

Design of UI/UX

An application that’s frequently used in a hurry is a parking app. Because of this, both the user interface and the user experience need to be carefully developed. Keep in mind that most users of parking apps don’t have time to figure out how the app functions. It should be easy to use, have large, obvious buttons, huge fonts, and a night option to enhance browsing in low light.

Select a Software Provider with the Necessary Experience

Yes, you can use pre-made parking app development tools, but scaling your app, improving your service, and adding more capabilities as needed would be difficult. Working with a reputable parking app development business that specializes in creating custom applications seems like the best course of action for guaranteeing a seamless user experience.

Launch

When all tests are finished, no new defects are found. Hire mobile app developers to make a parking app who are well experienced and can manage any change or update post-launch.   They should move forward with releasing the finished product into well-known app stores.

An app’s story doesn’t end with its launch. You’ll know what features need to be added, changed, or eliminated in the initial months following the product’s release.

After that, you can sign a maintenance contract that takes into account new variables or begin a new chapter in the creation of parking software.

Once you think to make an app, you should consider the below features or functionalities of the application based on drives, parking owners, and from a management point of view.

Features of Parking to Consider

For Drivers App

1. Two-factor Authorization

To ensure adequate data protection, drivers should consent via password sign-in via email or phone number. Users find SMS-based authentication to be the most appealing.

2. Location

Geolocation makes it easier for drivers to identify open spaces, locate their car, and determine how far it is to the parking lot. It is imperative to determine the user’s location in the event of an unreliable or absent GPS signal, particularly when traveling.

3. Search

This feature is the first that comes to mind when entrepreneurs are considering how to develop a parking application. In a matter of seconds, the parking platform should be able to look for adjacent spaces in a specific region.

4. Time Duration

This feature assists customers in figuring out how much money is required to pay for a parking citation and when their parking time is expiring. Additionally, this option makes it possible to determine how long it will take to get from the current location to a parking lot.

5. Reservation

If an app allows users to reserve seats ahead of time, that feature alone makes it indispensable. This option comes in handy when people are traveling to places they have a fondness for. Still, prepayment is typically required.

6. Payment Options

Provide customers with a selection of alternatives, such as cash, Visa, MasterCard, Apple Pay, and Google Pay. To reach a larger audience, take into account a variety of payment options while developing your mobile parking software.

7. History

By including a parking history, users will be able to save favorites and easily revisit them rather than having to Google addresses and amounts spent. Time is saved, and customers are happier as a result.

8. Reviews

Customers’ expectations and reality don’t always align. To enable drivers to share their opinions about a particular lot and assist others in making decisions, it would be fantastic if you allowed users to submit ratings and reviews while developing car parking apps.

9. Customer Support

Make sure clients can contact customer service right away in the event of an emergency or simply share a story with you. More than half of millennial users are prepared to share their data with third parties, yet over 65% of them demand real-time interactions and responses.

10. Notifications

Customers are informed about available discounts, service upgrades, and open spots thanks to this functionality. Push alerts have the potential to enhance user engagement by 88% and raise retention rates by three to ten times.

For Parking Owners

1. Signing up. Parking lot owners can register on social media, just like users, to conveniently manage their parking.
2. Administration of parking spots. Parking spaces may be added, removed, or managed in quantity by the owner.
3. Control of prices. A parking lot owner may control the rate and raise it if one location is more in demand than the other. Alternatively, longer parking times could be less expensive than short ones. Additionally, parking spaces for some types of vehicles (such as large cars) may be pricey.
4. Booking administration and checking. An owner can keep an eye on how many reservations are made for their parking lot.

For App Management

1. Content Management

In-app content should be able to be created, saved, and edited by app managers.

2. Module for User Management

Admins can see payments received, add or remove users, keep track of transaction history, and add extra services that have been ordered with the aid of this module.

3. Parking Control

An administrator should have the ability to verify the parking owners’ status, number of spaces, monthly payment amount, and other details, as they may have multiple facilities with varying rates.

4. Payment Module 

Managers require capabilities to handle transactions, billing, and recommendations for both parking owners and drivers on both app versions.

5. Reservations Section

Incoming offers should be set, bookings should be monitored and managed, and bonuses for drivers and parking lot owners should be managed by service managers.

Examples of Car Parking Applications

1. ParkMobile

Millions of Americans can locate, pay for, and reserve a parking place in advance with this smartphone and web application. Additionally, parking can be extended directly through mobile devices thanks to the app. The app is available in 400 well-known cities and over 3,000 places. One excellent illustration of how to create a straightforward and practical parking software is ParkMobile.

Available on both iOS and Android

2. Parker

Check out Parker if you’re wondering how to create parking software that offers a smooth user experience. Drivers can get real-time guidance to available garages or lots with this mobile application. Important details about this parking lot are also displayed on the app, such as entrance costs, operating hours, parking limitations, and more.

Users may instantly locate their vehicle with the “Find my car” option, saving them the trouble of having to trek up and down the parking lot.

Free on the iOS and Android stores.

3. BestParking

BestParking is an easy-to-use interface that assists users in finding affordable parking. Originally a small airport parking finder, this app now has over 40 million users and includes more than 100 cities and 115 airports across North America. People can quickly compare parking charges at neighboring locations by simply tapping their fingers. Once the user selects the most practical alternative, the app offers an interactive map to help them locate this parking space more quickly.

Available for both iOS and Android

4. Parkopedia

The term Parkopedia is a play on the words “parking” and “encyclopedia.” Indeed, it truly is an encyclopedia of available parking lots. It’s astonishing that the app currently has information on 70 million parking spaces in 15,000 locations worldwide.

Parkopedia is a type of social media where drivers may add all the information, allowing each motorist to participate in the app’s expansion. You may plan a route, locate parking spots, view opening times, use filters to focus your search, and access a wealth of other features with Parkopedia.

Free to download from Google Play and the Apple Store, though there is a paid upgrade option.

Conclusion

As you can see, developing parking software has several advantages. When done right, a solution is reached where everyone is satisfied. Parking applications will only grow. You had better get going right away if you’re (still) debating whether digitizing urban parking is the appropriate decision.

CMARIX – a mobile app development company is excited to offer our knowledge of developing mobile apps for parking lots. To find out how our organization can assist you, get in touch with us to discuss your parking app development project idea or to schedule a free consultation with one of our technical specialists.