App helps local communities to share parking spaces

ParkTag alerts users looking for a parking spot when someone they know has just vacated one near to them.

We recently wrote about Mapkin, the app for drivers that enables them to create customized routes for friends, making driving more social. Another app harnessing people’s networks of friends and family is ParkTag, which alerts users looking for a parking spot when someone they know has just vacated one near to them. Created by Germany-based Digital Natives, the app works by letting drivers geotag their vehicle – whether it’s a car, bike or even a boat – when its holding a parking space in a busy location. Users can then share this location with family, friends or members of the local community, who can in return opt to take it when they’re leaving. A time is arranged between the two and an exchange happens at the location, helping to avoid the time and fuel involved in searching for a parking space in busy areas. The user posting the space is rewarded with in-app points that they will be able to use to give them priority when in need of a parking spot themselves. The app is available for free on the App Store. How else can mass information sharing via smartphones help to make navigating a city more efficient? Spotted by: Murray Orange