Google has just rolled out a new pay for parking feature in the U.S. that lets Android users pay for street parking and mass transit fares right from within Google Maps, without having to come in contact with a parking meter or ticket machine.
These days, people are upping their hand sanitizing game and avoiding touching public surfaces as much as possible. Thanks to an integration with parking solutions providers Passport and ParkMobile, you can now easily pay your meter right from driving navigation in Maps, and avoid touching the meter altogether.
According to Google, users will get a "Pay for Parking" button in the driving navigation interface when they're nearing their destination, and when they arrive they can enter a meter number, input the amount of time they want to park for, and then hit "Pay" to use Google Pay. If users need to extend the time they need to park for, they can easily extend your parking session with just a few taps.
Google says it is also expanding the ability to pay for transit fares from Maps for over 80 transit agencies around the world, meaning users will be be able to plan their trip, buy their fare, and start riding without needing to switch between apps.
When you get transit directions, you'll see the option to pay with your phone with the credit or debit cards already linked to your Google Pay account. And in places like the San Francisco Bay Area, you'll also be able to buy a digital Clipper card directly from Google Maps.
Once you've purchased your fare, all you need to do is tap your phone on the reader or show your digital ticket to breeze on board.
Pay for parking is rolling out now in the U.S. on Android in over 400 cities, and Google says the same features will soon be coming to iPhone owners who use Google Maps – presumably via Apple Pay integration.
