Earlier this month I brought you a story about Lexus drivers getting their own parking spots at Edmonton’s International Airport. The idea was conceived by a local dealer who wanted to extend its customer service base, and as such, rented out a number of spaces that are dedicated to use by people who drive Lexus vehicles. Some people are upset over the whole matter, but it looks like the idea is catching on. Well, kind of catching on, anyway. This time, it's Ford with a new app. It's called FordPass.

While it’s not quite as arrogant as the whole Lexus parking spot thing, it does offer new solutions for finding and paying for parking spots. In more than 160 cities, Ford owners can now use the app to reserve garage parking and even pay for it in advance. Apparently, parking availability is updated in real time, and certain parking spots can even be “bookmarked” so they are easy to find in the app next time.

Elena Ford, the Vice President of Global Dealer and Consumer Experience for Ford, said, “Finding and paying for parking is one of the biggest pain points for drivers. This new feature is just one of many ways we are delivering better, smarter, more efficient mobility solutions for consumers with FordPass.”

The updated FordPass app is available for download from all of the major app stores now.

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Why it Matters

I live in a city, but not a city that is plagued by more cars than parking spots – at least not yet anyway. I’ve recently spend some time in Chicago, however, and finding parking downtown can be as painful as passing a large kidney stone. Not only does it take you forever to find a parking space – in my situation, I was driving a Ram Pickup, which made finding one I could fit in even harder – but it’s also quite expensive once you do find a spot.

At least with an app like this, you already know the spot is available before you get there, which cuts down on the endless block circling that is sometimes required when you’re someone who drives a car in an overpopulated city. Of course, I think something like this should exist for all car owners, regardless of what make or model you drive, but at least this is a start. Expect to see more like this from other automakers in the coming years.