BMW has taken a majority share in the leading mobile parking solution Parkmobile. Parking is currently available with all phones, but in the near future parking solutions will also be integrated in the car. In addition, the future will include ‘smart’ solutions, for instance the possibility of reservations and on demand parking spots, to where the car can drive itself. The parking solutions will be available to all car brands.
Apart from connected parking solutions, the mobility services for Parkmobile will be extended. Both parties anticipate the development from ownership to a sharing economy. BMW is developing a broad range of mobility services next to the production of cars to support this development. BMW acts as strategic investor for Parkmobile, which will function independently.
According to ParkMoiblie general manager Marius Koerselman, the app will continue to consist and will remain available to other car companies. He calls BMW a kind of “strategic investor”.
We reach out to BMW USA to comment on the acquisition. “We can only confirm that the Parkmobile Group Europe is owned by the BMW Group,” said Kenn Sparks, BMW NA spokesperson. “We cannot comment on Parkmobile International Holding in the U.S., which is a separate company.”
BMW says it acquired ParkMobile in order to offer more services to its customers and to become more than just a car manufacturer.
[Source: NLTimes]
