Powered by its SpotHero acquisition, Uber’s new parking reservation tool is a play for commuter loyalty — and a staging ground for its robotaxi future.
Powered by its SpotHero acquisition, Uber’s new parking reservation tool is a play for commuter loyalty — and a staging ground for its robotaxi future.
Uber announced the launch of Uber Parking, a native in-app reservation feature that allows drivers to find, book, and pay for garage and lot spaces ahead of time. The new feature is a result of Uber’s recent acquisition of SpotHero , integrating a network of over 13,000 facilities across more than 400 cities into the company’s platform.
The new feature works by tapping the new “Parking” icon in the Uber app to view an interactive map with upfront prices and arrival times. You can filter spots by self-park or valet, outdoor lot or garage, and whether staff are on-site. The app will prompt you to enter your vehicle details and license plate, after which can enter certain lots using a QR code on your phone or through an automatic license plate scan. If your plans change, you can extend your time directly in the app or cancel for free right up until your reservation starts.
Uber One subscribers can earn 10 percent back on parking reservations as account credits within 24 hours. These credits can then be spent on rides or Uber Eats deliveries. Uber says that its subscription service has grown to more than 55 million members across 47 countries as of late 2026.
Uber Parking is launching in 15 initial markets, including Chicago, NYC, Boston, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Denver, Miami, Nashville, Philadelphia, San Diego, and Seattle — eventually rolling out to SpotHero’s existing 400-city footprint.
The move also ties directly into Uber’s wider bet on robotaxis , working with over 30 autonomous vehicle partners across multiple cities. In the long run, these 13,000-plus parking facilities won’t just hold commuter cars — Uber plans to turn them into urban holding pens and waiting areas for driverless robotaxis.
Stashing autonomous fleets off the street when demand dips helps keep empty cars from aimlessly circling city blocks, cutting down on traffic, emissions, and wear on the vehicles, Uber says. Ultimately, it shows that the company is thinking bigger than just ride-hailing and delivery — it wants to control the city’s physical roads and parking spaces, regardless of whether the person traveling is driving their own car, riding in the backseat, or letting a computer take the wheel.
By getting into parking, Uber is also tacitly admitting that its earlier mission to end personal car ownership and driver’s licenses didn’t succeed. But there is a loyalty-retaining strategy at play here, too, with Uber intent on keeping its customers operating within in its own platform ecosystem, whether they’re hailing a ride or driving their own car.
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