Uber now lets you book a parking spot ahead of time in its app

Uber now lets you reserve a parking spot in its app before you leave home. The new feature, called Uber Parking, has launched in 15 US cities, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Boston. You see the price up front, book the spot, and can cancel for free until your reservation starts.

What it does

Tap the new "Parking" icon in the Uber app to see a map with upfront prices and arrival times. You can narrow the results with filters.

• Self-park or valet
• Outdoor lot or garage
• Whether staff are on site

The app asks for your vehicle details and license plate. At certain lots, you then get in with a QR code on your phone or an automatic license plate scan. If plans change, you can extend your time in the app or cancel for free right up until the reservation begins.

Where it works

The first 15 cities are Chicago, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Denver, Miami, Nashville, Philadelphia, San Diego and Seattle. The tool is powered by Uber's purchase of SpotHero, which brings more than 13,000 parking facilities in over 400 cities into the Uber platform. Uber plans to expand to that full 400-city footprint.

A perk for Uber One members

Uber One subscribers get 10 percent back on parking reservations as account credits within 24 hours. Those credits can be spent on rides or Uber Eats orders. Uber says the subscription now has more than 55 million members across 47 countries.

Why Uber wants parking

Parking ties into Uber's bet on robotaxis. The company works with more than 30 autonomous vehicle partners. Uber plans to use the garages as waiting areas for driverless cars when demand dips. It says this keeps empty cars from circling city blocks, which cuts traffic, emissions and wear on the vehicles.

The Verge also reads the move as a play for loyalty. Uber wants customers to stay in its app whether they hail a ride or drive their own car. It also quietly admits that its early goal of ending personal car ownership did not pan out.

What is not known yet

The material does not say whether Uber adds fees on top of the garage price. It also gives no dates for the cities beyond the first 15, and it does not say which lots use QR codes and which use plate scanning.