More than ever, vehicles have become an extension of our daily lives through connectivity and infotainment. They are no longer simply a mode of transportation from point A to point B. Instead, like mobile phones, automakers have designed them to make our lives easier and more convenient through software-defined features and updateable programming.
The latest example is Hyundai Pay, an in-vehicle payment system the Korean automaker is bringing to its U.S. customers. Owners will use the touchscreen interface in their vehicle to find and pay for things by securely entering their credit card information. Initially, Hyundai Pay will solely focus on finding and paying for parking. The first Hyundai model to offer this system will be the 2024 Kona, with others to follow.
Hyundai Pay is a scalable e-commerce platform designed to extend a car owner's digital reach for everyday needs. Even though the technology serves as the foundation for broader applications of in-vehicle payments in the future, the system will solely focus on parking payment services as part of its first deployment in the 2024 Kona.
Parkopedia is a connected services provider used by automakers and millions of drivers worldwide. The data and payment platform helps drivers find and pay for parking, EV charging, fuel, and tolls through the infotainment touchscreen. It is available in 90 countries.
In the United States, Hyundai owners can make parking reservations at more than 6,000 locations without leaving the driver's seat. Although the system is currently programmed to find and pay for off-street garage parking, it will eventually be able to locate on-street curbside parking. That functionality is now under development, and Hyundai will add it via future over-the-air (OTA) updates.
After initial setup, users input their credit card information into the Parkopedia app on their infotainment screen. They can then pay for parking at participating locations. The vehicle uses its mobile connection to connect with Parkopedia's network to complete the transaction. The system keeps personal details secure using tokenization, which replaces card account details with a unique digital identifier, or token, that acts as an encrypted layer to keep data safe.
Parkopedia is also developing highly detailed parking maps and corresponding algorithms to help drivers and self-driving vehicles navigate to open parking spaces within covered multi-level garages or underground parking structures.
Drivers can also access the Hyundai Pay system through Hyundai's Bluelink connected services app. This provides a seamless connection, whether at home or on the go, with the app enabling drivers to reference past parking sessions for future journeys.
Hyundai Pay launched with the rollout of the new 2024 Hyundai Kona. Another nine Hyundai models will offer Hyundai Pay via upcoming model-year changes or OTA updates.
According to Hyundai, the new in-vehicle pay system mitigates the stress and anxiety drivers experience when searching for parking. Research by the automaker and Parkopedia has shown as many as 58 percent of drivers want to be able to search for parking through their vehicle, and 68 percent want to pay for parking through their in-car media system.
"American motorists report significant challenges in finding parking and a distinct desire for in-car parking services, with U.S. Hyundai drivers showing a particular interest in accessing parking information through their vehicles," said Hans Puvogel, Chief Operating Officer at Parkopedia. "We are proud to be the first in-car commerce service to launch on the future-proof Hyundai Pay platform, which shows significant faith in the auto-grade quality of our services from one of the leading automakers. We look forward to additional models and vehicle services going live in the future."
By integrating Parkopedia's payment platform and extensive parking data, Hyundai provides drivers with a convenient and seamless parking experience. Beyond parking, the system's benefits are plentiful:
Together, these virtues make Hyundai Pay very pliable and poised to take on a wide array of payment-based services in the future.
The available Hyundai Pay system allows owners to quickly, seamlessly, and securely reserve and pay for parking, charging, and more through the infotainment touchscreen of a vehicle thanks to connected car, integrated cockpit, and secure transaction technology.
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Jessica Shea Choksey is an experienced writer in the automotive field. In addition to JDPower.com, she was a correspondent for PBS's MotorWeek. Her work has also appeared in AutoTrader.
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