Kia Launches CarPay, the In-Car Payment Service for Added Convenience on the Road
London, UK / Frankfurt, Germany – Kia has announced the launch of CarPay, the brand’s in-car payment service, starting with the EV3 model. This innovative feature allows customers to pay for items and services directly from their vehicle, with the first application being available through Parkopedia, the leading connected car service provider.
Sjoerd Knipping, Vice President Product & Marketing at Kia Europe, emphasized the significance of this advancement in customer convenience, stating, “Adding an in-car payment service is a significant advancement for customer convenience as software and connectivity continue to expand the capability of a vehicle.”
With the integration of Parkopedia, drivers in Europe can easily locate available parking and pay for it conveniently through the vehicle’s navigation screen. This is a much-needed solution, as parking remains a major challenge in big cities, with 92% of drivers struggling to find available parking spots. In addition, millions of parking tickets are issued each year across Europe, with electric vehicle drivers facing the added issue of unexpected fines while charging.
Hans Puvogel, COO at Parkopedia, expressed the benefits of this partnership, saying, “Kia CarPay adds significant convenience and from launch helps to alleviate one of the key pain points for drivers, simplifying the process of finding and paying for parking.”
Through the integrated Parkopedia services, drivers can easily find the nearest available parking spot at their destination, with details on costs and predicted availability. Kia CarPay then allows for a secure transaction through a stored payment card, eliminating the need for additional apps.
At launch, Parkopedia’s parking payment service will primarily focus on outdoor and on-street parking, with plans to expand to indoor parking in the future. Currently, it provides access to over 1.7 million transactable parking locations in 19 European countries.
Kia CarPay will be available on all future Kia models, as the brand looks to expand its range of in-car payments, add-on features, in-vehicle apps, and electric vehicle-related use-cases. This feature is part of Kia’s commitment to enhancing the driving experience and improving customer satisfaction at every touchpoint of a journey.
Olivier Pascal, General Manager and Head of Connectivity at Kia Connect, shared his excitement for CarPay’s potential, stating, “Bringing an easy and streamlined payment method into the vehicle is a game-changer. This is just the beginning, with CarPay set to expand in the future to include payments for a wide range of goods and services, to provide greater convenience for drivers and passengers.”
Kia Europe is the European sales and manufacturing division of Kia Corporation, a global mobility brand that focuses on creating innovative and sustainable mobility solutions for consumers. Over 5,500 employees from 40 nationalities work for Kia Europe in 39 markets, with production taking place at the company’s state-of-the-art facility in Zilina, Slovakia.
For more information on Kia Europe, please visit https://www.press-eu.kia.com/.
Kia Connect, a subsidiary of Kia Europe, delivers connected car services to customers in 28 markets. These services include in-car and app-based features designed to make driving a more intuitive experience, as well as vehicle data products for fleet management purposes.
About Parkopedia
Parkopedia is the leading connected car service provider used by automakers, organizations, and millions of drivers around the world. With a presence in 90 countries, Parkopedia helps drivers find and pay for parking, EV charging, fuel, and tolls. The company is also developing highly detailed indoor maps and algorithms to assist drivers and self-driving vehicles in locating available parking spaces and EV chargers.
For more information on Parkopedia, please visit https://business.parkopedia.com/.
Media Contacts:
Adam Calland, Marketing Director, Parkopedia
T: +44(0)7838219129
E: adam.calland@parkopedia.com
Pablo González Huerta, Manager Public Relations & Communications, Kia Europe
T: +49 69 850 928 342
E: pghuerta@kia-europe.com
Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/
