UbiPark, an Australian consolidated parking mobile app, has secured a further $500,000 investment to rollout new in-app technologies to help automate and streamline the parking experience for both drivers and business operators. The latest raise takes the company’s total funding to more than $1 million.

Launched in December 2015, UbiPark allows motorists to quickly identify and secure the closest and cheapest off-street parking throughout Australia. As part of the investment, UbiPark will rollout ‘Access’, which automates the car park’s boom gate to open as the car approaches, which UbiPark Founder and CEO, Mosstyn Howell believes will cancel out time spent fussing around with buttons and tickets.

“The new Access feature will replace monthly parking passcards and will be the foundation for the in-app payment functionality that will be launched later in the year. The rollout of Access and introduction of this new technology is something we are really excited to bring to the Australian market and our latest round of investment has made this a reality,” said Howell.

Major parking management groups Care Park and Metro Parking are among the first to have signed on to adopt the new technology. Access is already installed and functioning at St Kilda Road Towers’ 650-bay car park on Queens Road in Melbourne and 16 Bond Street in Melbourne, with the rollout of other sites across the country to commence in the coming months.

The advancements don’t stop there for UbiPark, with the next phase of their technology upgrade scheduled to rollout in December. This phase will mark the arrival of in-app payments, enabling motorists to locate, access and pay for the cheapest park available through their smartphone. The rollout is expected to spell the end for pay booths, and misplaced tickets and receipts, instead offering a seamless end-to-end parking experience for users.

“We pride ourselves on building exciting new parking technologies to save motorists time and money when looking for parking,” said Howell.

“The last decade has seen huge technology advancements, yet this still isn’t reflected in the current mainstream parking model. UbiPark is taking this technology and reinventing the way car parks work for the everyday motorist.

“Ultimately, UbiPark is helping get motorists off the road and to their end destination without the fuss,” he added.