Interview with parkopedia
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Eugene Tsyrklevich, CEO of Parkopedia, discusses his company's role in providing parking services for automakers and their focus on integrating services like navigation, parking, and payments. He highlights Parkopedia's work with Volvo to develop an in-car parking and payment application. Tsyrklevich also notes the need for tighter integration of automotive apps to improve the user experience.
Interview with parkopedia
- 1. Interview Parkopedia / UK Eugene Tsyrklevich, CEO, Parkopedia / UK ‘Users shouldn’t need to switch from one app to another to get the information that they need!’ Prior to the Auto Apps Evolution 2014, we.CONECT spoke with Eugene Tsyrklevich, CEO at Parkopedia from UK about the pressing challenges and trends in the automotive apps evolution. we.CONECT: Mr. Tsyrklevich, what role does your company play in the field of automotive apps and content development?? Eugene Tsyrklevich: Parkopedia provides automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers with parking services which allow drivers to find and pay for parking in 6000 cities and 45 countries. We provide the services both as an in-car iOS-, Android-, or HTML5 application and as a standalone service which can be white-labelled and integrated directly into the navigation system. we.CONECT: What is your company’s most significant project with relation to automotive apps, user experience and content integration at the moment? Eugene Tsyrklevich: One of Parkopedia’s most sophisticated integrations to date is Volvo’s ‘Park & Pay’ application. We worked closely with Volvo to develop the world’s first in-car parking service that allows drivers to pay for parking from the convenience of their car. Parkopedia provided Volvo directly with all of the APIs powering parking search and payments and worked closely with Volvo on designing the app user experience. we.CONECT: Which critical trends and innovations can you identify in the evolution of auto apps and content development to play a growing role in the auto sector? Eugene Tsyrklevich: With the recent announcements by Google and Apple, in-car apps powered by mobile phones and mirrored to head units seem to be a growing trend. At Parkopedia, we also hope to see more tightly integrated services which reduce distraction and provide a better user experience. Instead of drivers having to use one app for navigation, one for traffic and one for parking or fuel, we hope to see these services get far more integrated into one consistent and user friendly service. we.CONECT: Which issues do you consider poorly developed or unresolved within the area of auto apps? Eugene Tsyrklevich: The fragmentation of user attention across multiple apps provides less than ideal user experience. Users shouldn’t need to switch from one app to another to get the information that they need. Services including navigation, traffic, fuel, and parking should be tightly integrated with one another and enhanced by additional functionalities such as safe texting, calling and music capabilities. we.CONECT: From your point of view - Which are the conflicts arising between current and upcoming players in the auto app industry? How should they be handled? Eugene Tsyrklevich: Google and Apple are interested in gaining a bigger share of attention and locking mobile users into their ecosystems. Automotive OEMs and Tier1s are resisting the change to protect their “turf”. In the end, consumers’ “pull” might force OEMs to integrate Google and Apple solutions despite OEMs resistance and insistence on retaining control. we.CONECT: Can you name the most significant keys to a safe and fast integration of apps and mobile devices in the automotive cockpit? Eugene Tsyrklevich: The most significant factors for apps and content integration are that it must be simple and relevant. we.CONECT: In your opinion, how will the dynamics in the automotive apps market change within the next 5 years? Which potentials do you see? Eugene Tsyrklevich: There is a potential for Google and Apple to take over the head unit and driver’s attention. The rather slow and expensive “standard” automotive way of doing business and integrating content might get entirely disrupted by mobile driven integrations. we.CONECT: Please explain in brief the topics and key issues of the presentation you will be holding at the 3rd Auto Apps Evolution 2014 congress in Berlin? Eugene Tsyrklevich: The main focus of the presentation I will be holding lays on Parkopedia’s two latest service launches: As in the cooperation with Ford, Parkopedia launched a voice-activated parking discovery app for the Ford SYNC AppLink. Using the AppLink interface, Ford drivers around the world can now locate nearby available parking and get detailed information through simple voice commands, eliminating the need to touch their mobile phone while driving. Actually, this integration is a North American first.
- 2. With regard to the cooperation with Volvo, Parkopedia's parking service is now pre-installed in Volvo's latest "Sensus Connect" infotainment system to be sold globally. The in-car service will allow drivers to not only find parking but also to pay for it straight from a car. This integration again is a world’s first. we.CONECT: What expectations do you have regarding the Auto Apps Evolution 2014? Which outcomes and benefits do you expect to gain from the exchange with participating OEMs, developers and research institutions? Eugene Tsyrklevich: I look forward to meeting and exchanging views on the future of auto apps with leading OEMs and Tier1s and to expand our automotive professional further towards additional Parkopedia integrations. we.CONECT: Thanks a lot for this interview! We look forward to a thriving community and event with you! Interview Partners: Serina Gummert and Eugene Tsyrklevich CV Eugene Tsyrklevich: Eugene Tsyrklevich is the CEO of Parkopedia - a Wikipedia for parking. Parkopedia provides information on 30 million parking spaces in 45 countries as accessed online, via a mobile app or inside the car navigation system. Parkopedia has already been integrated with significant car brands, such as Audi, BMW, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Nissan, Toyota and Volvo. Eugene holds both a Bachelor and a Masters degree in Computer Science from the University of California, San Diego. Auto Apps Evolution 2014 is the leading global automotive congress for industry executives and pioneers focused on the pressing tasks and challenges around automotive apps, sophisticated content and user experience.. In 2014, invited speakers and delegates will discuss the advances in the design & development process, gamification and content integration, as well as the traditional HMI versus APP ecosystem. The latest state-of-the-art in auto apps interfaces will be assessed, together with innovative approaches to workload management, latest platform technologies and modern processing and consumer requirements. Find Information about the event and about we.CONECT online: http://automotive-apps2014.we-conect.com Contact Event Production: Dr. Klaudia Malowitz Senior Product Manager Phone: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 – 48 Fax: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 – 30 Email: klaudia.malowitz@we.conect.com Contact Marketing: Serina Gummert Digital Marketing Manager Phone: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 – 83 Fax: +49 (0)30 52 10 70 3 – 30 Email: serina.gummert@we.conect.com we.CONECT Global Leaders GmbH Gertraudenstr. 10-12 10178 Berlin, Germany www.we-conect.com