XM Parking Link to Launch by Year End
According to a report from AutoBlog, the time has finally come for XM Radio’s long-anticipated GPS-fueled parking assistance program. A team made up by Quixote Transportation Technologies, XM, and Standard Parking put the system together, which will rely upon a combination of GPS satellite information and strategically placed sensors in the parking garages and lots of major cities. Early reports indicate that the system will work by alerting users to the locations of lots and garages, as well as to the number of spots available in each one.
As Orbitcast points out, XM’s deal with Standard Traffic, which owns almost 2,000 parking facilities nationwide, will not be exclusive, thereby allowing XM to extend the service to non-Standard-owned lots. Intially, ParkTraffic will only be available in Chicago, L.A., Detroit, and Washington D.C. But since ParkTraffic service will be an option tied to NavTraffic, it is expected to eventually extend to the 44 cities covered by the latter’s recent expansion.
