Inugo: In you go – pioneering parking app will revolutionize the US market

January 09, 2018

In you go – pioneering parking app will revolutionize the US market

January, 2018 – Parking innovator Inugo has launched its groundbreaking parking technology at four Los Angeles sites as the company begins expansion in the United States.

Just one app will direct users to available parking, open car park gates and handle the payments – and it puts parking operators in touch with their clients for the first time.

“It breaks the information drought for both drivers and car park operators,“ Sam Barclay, Inugo CEO said.

“It gives drivers a single app that provides access to any participating car park.”

And the problem for parking operators is that too often they don’t know anything about their customers.  How many businesses can survive without having a relationship with their customers?

“That’s at the heart of the Inugo system, getting to know your customers.”

The smartphone app-driven system launched at three sites at Los Angeles International Airport and another in Hollywood last week, and Sam said more sites are in the pipeline.

And while the initial focus is on existing parking facilities, the system is designed to work with street parking and will allow the owners of any parking – commercial buildings, apartment blocks or even individuals – to make use of their idle spaces.

The Inugo system tells users of the app where those spaces are, gives them access with a touch of a button on their phone, handles the billing – providing a completely ticketless parking experience.

“The driver doesn’t have to leave their car to enter, exit or pay, and the lack of paper tickets is good for the environment,” Sam said.

“It’s a smart solution for smart cities.”

Groundbreaking innovation

The Inugo system comprises a smart access controller installed at the parking gate or barrier; a smartphone app that tells the user where parking is available and gives access at the touch of a button; and a comprehensive billing system that charges the user and pays the owner of the car park.

It’s been under development and testing for three years.

“City parking is at a premium but looking beyond existing car park services, there are tens of thousands of car parks locked away in corporate buildings that are empty at night and in apartment blocks that are empty during the day,” Dion Knill, VP Global Sales for Inugo said.

The Inugo system unlocks those spaces and turns them into revenue-earning assets.

“Those corporate car parks can be used by restaurant and theatergoers at night and those apartment spaces can be used by office workers during the day. And the owner keeps total control.”

Dion, who has worked in the car parking sector for nine years and played a major role in the design and supply of the award-winning LA Metro park-and-ride payment system, was lured to Inugo by the potential of its groundbreaking solution.

“Revolutionary is an overworked word, but this system really is,” he said.

“It uses just one app to park anywhere in any city our system is installed, it gives information to drivers and car park owners, it handles the billing, and it will bring tens of thousands of unused parking spaces into play in our congested cities.”

About Inugo

Inugo is headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand and is built on the philosophy that parking should be easy for the driver and operator. It works on the premise that smart cities need smart solutions.

Its staff have accumulated decades of experience in the car-parking sector and its smart access system has been designed to help resolve the desperate need for car parking in our ever-more-congested cities

About Inugo chief executive Sam Barclay

Sam Barclay leads the growing Inugo team from its Auckland headquarters.  Sam has been a leader in the mobile technology industry for more than 25 years.  He has become incredibly passionate about the parking industry – don’t let get him started talking about improving the parking user experience.  After 17 years in the New York area, Sam and his family have back to their home town of Auckland, New Zealand.  His experience launching technology companies in the US, and his success building and leading fast growing teams made him a natural choice to build and commercialize Inugo.  Sam is the founder of the Montclair Blues Youth Rugby Club in Montclair, New Jersey.  In his spare time he builds custom drones; skis; and plays guitar.

About Inugo VP global sales Dion Knill

Dion, who joined Inugo in October, has more than 30 years of experience in the technology sector, and brings extensive leadership experience in business development and sales and marketing management. While working with international cell phone giant Vodafone, he invented and led the introduction of the world’s first mobile parking payment option “TXT-a-Park” in 2004.

Contact:

For more information contact:

Manali Bhatia, Marketing Co-ordinator

+64 27 253 7781

manali.bhatia@inugo.com