SAP Teases About An 'Uber For Parking' Future

German software corporation SAP, whose California labs are located in Palo Alto, has given IB Times a sneek preview into some of their new apps, designed for smart cars of the future.

I must say, these could really prove useful.

They call the apps “Uber for parking“, and “Uber for refuelling“, and as far as I’m informed, they’re yet to be named.

The “Uber for parking” makes is easy for people looking for parking in urban areas, where a space for your vehicle can be hard to obtain. It works like this: when approaching a car park barrier, the car scans it and notifies the driver, via in-car display, if the parking has space and what its hourly rate is. Tap a button, and the barrier opens, starting the clock on your parking time.

In case there is no space, the app’s sat-nav will direct you to another car park with space – or it will guide you through the shortest and most efficient route around the block, which you can circle until a space becomes available. The app will also learn in time so that it can give an estimate to how fast a parking space will be free.

When you want to leave, just drive to the exit and tap a button on your screen – your pre-registered card will be automatically billed, and the receipt will be presented on the screen.

The “Uber of refuelling” works in a similar fashion: drive to a gas station and fill it up – the car automatically charges your card as you drive away.

These apps are still being developed and it might take some time before they are consumer ready, IB Times notes, adding that SAP is only developing them, and it is up to car manufacturers to decide if they will implement them.