Urban centres anywhere in the Klang Valley will more often than not be congested with motorists plying the roads, and eventually vying for the same limited number of parking spaces. To that end, a smartphone app endeavours to ease some of the hassle of parking – enter ParkEasy.
“The inspiration for this app came from our common experiences wasting time looking for a parking space.” said Warren Chan, CEO of ParkEasy (above). The smartphone app started in August 2014 as Park ‘In, and operated for a year before rebranding to ParkEasy, coinciding with the app’s first commercial site, Sunway Pyramid.
Initially, the parking lot installation included a digital board stating the vehicle registration of the Parkeasy user who had booked the lot using the app, but that was short-lived as other, mainly non-ParkEasy-using patrons at the shopping centre’s carpark were disapproving of the system’s implementation. If you frequent Sunway Pyramid, you may have noticed the temporary presence of these digital boards over a few selected parking lots.
This led to the revamp of the ParkEasy system to the one today, where the app does away with the location’s digital boards, and instead relies on in-app booking of the app users’ parking lots. There are two main functions; one for the parker, and one for the leaver.
For parking, users select the mall and then the area of parking they prefer from the drop-down menu, fill in vehicle details for recognition, and then press the “Search for parking” button. Conversely for leavers, users select the location details of where they are parked, input vehicle details for recognition, and then press the “I’m leaving” button. Should users want to contact the corresponding parker or leaver, in-app calls can be placed via VOIP, with no phone numbers displayed for privacy.
Every new app user is started off with 10 credits, and each use for parking will cost the user three credits, and each use for leaving a parking space will earn the user three credits. If it seems unneccessarily costly to pay an additional sum for a helping hand in finding spaces, the app user should effectively be charged nothing if he or she uses the app for both parking and leaving in equal frequency, said Eric Tan, chief technical officer of ParkEasy (pictured with phones, above).
Should its users need more credit, topping up can be done in-app in denominations of 10, 20, 30, 50 or 100 credits at RM1 per credit, plus a transaction fee of RM2. Currently, ParkEasy runs in beta in order for its developers to test their system’s ability to handle mass exchanges. Coverage is limited at the moment, with parking lots of just two shopping centres listed in the app’s drop-down menu: Sunway Pyramid, and Mid Valley.
This list is set to grow, however, and the team will also consider broadening the scope to cover outdoor public parking spaces in commercial areas, such as SS15 in Subang Jaya, as well as parking lots in other shopping centres. ParkEasy is available on both iOS and Android mobile operating systems, from the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store respectively.
Watch the videos below to see Parkeasy in action, in the roles of both the parker and the leaver.
Good but this’s malaysia example “usually the Arrival will wait” but if existing car are waiting infront your parking place so he/she sure going to park first?
Hmm , i never thought of that .. you are right .
Thanks you and hope the team will provide more info for future users.
This app shall working with local council for specially reserve lots.
Come out with App but got no planning. What to do when someone is waiting for the parking spot? Then sure got gaduh. Then gaduh, got more jam.
Hello App developer, you need to give ang pau to DBKL in the millions to support your move.
More and more people go online, soon majority are tourist will go shoppinh mall. Parking is not an issue by then.
what?parking app in malaysia?best joke of the day..waste of money creating this app..
No need for this apps. Parking is not hard to find in those malls.
Have you ever tried going to MV on a Saturday afternoon, especially when there’s an ongoing event?
Hey man.. so theres this thing.. its called Super.. soory Uper.. or something like that. Another one called MTM. I think KIM. or something like that. If you go to find parking at MV at peak hours on weekends.. I.. I… have to say you’re quite……… not smart.
Ain’t nobody got time for that.
problem is…parking space is less than vehicle and mostly double park in Klang Valley compare to other place of the world..
Stop using your phone while driving!
Especially finding parking lot!
Do not caused other people misery in your car accident!
Too confusing
What if i not using the app and already waiting at a parking lane waiting for a car to leave, i happen to in front of a leaver and the parker arrived at my spot after me. Takkan i have to give way because i waited there first?
But if the issues are ironed out, I don’t see why this system can not go global surely another great malaysian export in the making.
Wah friendly face….
Flawed idea, if parking was so difficult to come by in that mall in the first place, high chances there are already cars waiting at each alley. Unless it’s not a difficult place to park, then again why use the app
Just lack of ideas now. The first thought i have is the availability of reception at those mall’s underground and even overground parking. Plus, u are required to use your phone to get out, which is another hassle.
Failed even before it starts.
Next batch of ideas:
– CheapEats (Find cheap food stalls)
– SpouseFinder (Find pre-owned spouse at a cheaper rate)
– ToiletGo (Find empty toilets)
– FartAnywhere (App neutralises sound and smell)
eh CheapEats is a good idea
good idea for toiletgo
MV,KLCC always toilet full
More apps in the pipeline….
DigNose (disclose places to ppl whom wish to korek hidung without being embarrassed)
NoNo Pothole (warns you where to avoid big potholes on lousy malaysia road)
NoNo Hump (warns you where road humps that are too high, too big that would scrape your lowered car, etc)
Handy HandiCap (tells you where to “sapu” a parking lot, actually intended for the handicapped)
Senang Kawtim (tells you where and which enforcement officers can accept “donation”)
Leaver should accept a parker first before going to his car. When he gets into his car ideally parker should have arrived. Otherwise arguments from other cars who arrive earlier may ensue.
Yes, but if you are using the app to look for a spot, that would mean that parking is already hard to find. Which raises the possibility that there are other non-app users which may already be stopped, waiting for people to leave. What would happen if there is a non app user that so happens to be waiting right next to the leavers car?
Not practical in reality. Using phone while driving and probably get into a fight with another road user due to who come first, failed product.
Good luck.. But i never have problem finding parking. In peak hours – uber all the way. Even at peak hours if smart its easy to park.