Kakao Mobility has introduced an integrated “Parking Search” feature in Kakao Navi, enabling users to explore, recommend, reserve, and pay for parking all in one seamless experience with just one search for a destination.
The “Parking Search” integration merges the previously separate services of “directions” and “parking” into one. It automatically recommends up to two optimal parking options categorically, without the need for a parking app, simply based on the destination searched in Kakao Navi. As of last month, this feature has been implemented in over 150 destination points, including major subway stations in the metropolitan area, and will gradually expand its coverage areas going forward.
The recommendation categories of the “Parking Search” feature include parking lots where reservations can be made, affordable parking, public parking, and parking lots offering visitor discounts, which can be selected via a filtering function.
For instance, if you search for “Gangnam Station” in Kakao Navi, you can choose one of the filters from the four recommendation categories, tap the detailed information button for the suggested parking lot, and access navigation guidance directly from the details page. If you select the “Parking Ticket” recommendation category, an additional step for purchasing the ticket will be provided before you access the navigation instructions.
To implement the “Parking Search” integrated feature, Kakao Mobility analyzed the big data from Kakao Navi to identify the 150 destinations with the highest search volumes that do not have associated parking facilities, causing inconvenience for users. Upon reviewing each location, it was noted that major public transport hubs, including all 51 stations of the Metro Line 2, which serves as the country’s only urban railway circular line, were included.
Previously, users had to conduct a destination search in “Kakao Navi” and manually compare and analyze information about each parking lot by using nearby parking searches at the top of the app. They would also navigate to “Kakao T Parking” to separately explore, reserve, and pay for parking spots before returning to Kakao Navi to set their chosen parking lot as their destination for navigation. With the launch of this new integrated function, user convenience is anticipated to significantly increase by minimizing entry stages for major services for car owners while also providing recommendation functionalities.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr