Kia has introduced CarPay, its new in-car payment service, allowing customers to pay for various items and services directly from their vehicles, beginning with the EV3. The initial application is partnered with Parkopedia, which helps drivers in Europe find available parking and make payments seamlessly through the vehicle’s navigation screen. Parking can be a significant challenge in major cities, with 92% of drivers struggling to locate available spots in countries like France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, and the US. Parking errors can be costly, with millions of tickets issued annually across Europe; this is particularly concerning for electric vehicle drivers, 49% of whom have faced unexpected fines while charging.
Parkopedia’s services are integrated into vehicle navigation systems, enabling drivers to easily locate the nearest available parking spot at their destination, along with cost details and estimates of available spaces. Kia CarPay allows customers to pay for parking securely using a stored payment card, eliminating the need for additional apps.
Currently, Parkopedia’s payment service focuses on outdoor and on-street parking, with plans to expand to indoor options like parking garages in the future. It offers access to over 1.7 million transactable parking locations across 19 European countries.
The EV3 and all future Kia models will include Kia CarPay, marking a significant advancement for the brand in enhancing in-car payments, add-on features, and electric vehicle-related applications. CarPay reflects Kia’s commitment to improving the driving experience and boosting customer satisfaction throughout every stage of a journey.“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,” said Sjoerd Knipping, Vice President Product & Marketing at Kia Europe.
“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,” said Hans Puvogel, COO at Parkopedia. “Not only does this reduce the amount of time drivers spend searching an area to locate an available space, but it also bypasses the frustrating process of having to find an operational parking machine or downloading various phone apps to try to activate and pay for parking sessions.”
“Bringing an easy and streamlined payment method into the vehicle is a game-changer,” said Olivier Pascal, General Manager and Head of Connectivity, Kia Connect. “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.”
