ParkMe Brings Parking Reservations To 2013 LA Auto Show

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- 2013 Connected Car Expo & LA Auto Show -- ParkMe, the leading provider of real-time parking data, has activated its reservations capabilities for the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show), one of the most influential and highly attended auto shows globally. As the first official parking provider of the high profile event, ParkMe has teamed up with the show organizers to exclusively offer attendees the ability to reserve a guaranteed parking spot.

Nearly one million attendees are expected to converge upon Los Angeles over the course of ten exciting days for this year's annual automotive gathering. ParkMe allows shows guests to choose from five different parking establishments to secure a space within close proximity to the Los Angeles Convention Center, with some at a discounted rate, by visiting: http://www.parkme.com/link/laautoshow.

"ParkMe looks forward to showcasing our reservations capabilities as the first-ever official parking provider for the LA Auto Show. This high profile show is among the latest events we've supported by giving attendees the added convenience of hassle-free parking reservations and payments," said Sam Friedman, Co-Founder and CEO, ParkMe.

Friedman will speak on a panel titled, "How Entrepreneurs Will Change the Automotive Industry," at the Connected Car Expo (CCE). CCE is a one-day conference and three-day expo held during the LA Auto Show for automotive and technology companies shaping current innovations and designing the future of the connected car space. Friedman's panel will take place on Tuesday, November 19^th at 4:50 p.m. in Meeting Room 403 A&B, where he, along with fellow panelists, such as Robert Herjavec of ABC's "Shark Tank," will tackle topics such as Big Data, Mapping, the Second Screen Entertainment experience and how original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) can reach out to the start-up community.

Friedman will also participate in a CCE Interactive Networking Lunch on Tuesday, November 19^th at 12:20 p.m. Friedman will be sharing his insights on smart parking and transportation innovation, as well as his thoughts on the broader connected car industry, with four groups of 10 CCE attendees each as part of 20-minute sessions. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and then, at the end of each session, Friedman will move to a different table and impart his knowledge upon a new group of 10 attendees.

"The rise of smartphones and new in-car technologies is changing consumer behavior and expectations around parking and ParkMe is meeting their evolving needs," said Friedman. "We believe that connected cars will not only fuel the future of the auto industry, but also drive additional investment in smart transportation. Beyond our newly unveiled reservations capabilities, we're unveiling how smart parking is a launchpad for fully integrated, intelligent transportation and smart cities across the U.S. and around the world."

"From easing traffic congestion, to reducing emissions and to minimizing fuel consumption, ParkMe is dramatically transforming how consumers get from point A to point B, and accounting for the last step in the journey in urbanized environments," said Alexander Israel, Co-Founder and COO, ParkMe . "As we continue to gather vital parking data, work the automakers and consumer electronics manufacturers on their in-vehicle offerings, and roll out additional capabilities, such as reservation and payments, our aim is to help motorists attain the connected parking solutions they desire."

Launched in 2008, ParkMe is a California-based start-up that's built the world's most comprehensive parking database with real-time information for both on-and off-street parking. Its ability to cultivate partnerships with municipalities and parking owners/operators, and intelligently connect the pieces of a city's parking infrastructure has enabled the company to simplify one of the most frustrating, wallet-draining and logistically complex problem for any urban driver: parking.

ParkMe connects transient drivers with accurate, up-to-the-minute parking data streamed to smart phones via its parking app (iOS and Android); in-car navigation systems and GPS devices (Audi, Kenwood, TomTom, TeleNav); and embedded widgets and other online resources for local businesses and parking owners/operators. ParkMe has recently added parking reservations and payments to its expansive feature set that enables users in more than 28,000 locations around the globe -- in 1,800+ cities, 32 countries and seven continents -- to find the perfect parking spot.

About ParkMe 
Based in Santa Monica, Calif., ParkMe is the leading provider of real-time parking information to navigation companies and consumers. Consumers can access ParkMe via GPS and in-car navigation systems, ParkMe.com, online widgets, iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Android apps. Founded by Sam Friedman and Alex Israel, ParkMe's mission is to make parking easier, faster and cheaper. The company collects and aggregates data about both on-street and off-street parking and has built the world's most comprehensive parking database. This includes more than 28,000 worldwide locations in more than 1,800 cities, 32 countries and seven continents. ParkMe can be found on the Web at ParkMe.com, on Twitter @TheParkMeApp, and on Facebook Facebook.com/TheParkMeApp.

ParkMe is backed by a highly respected group of investors, including Fontinalis Partners, IDG Ventures and Angeleno Group. Fontinalis Partners is a leading transportation technology strategic investment firm founded by Bill Ford, Ralph Booth, Mark Schulz, Chris Cheever, and Chris Thomas. IDG Ventures is a global network of venture capital funds with approximately $5 billion under management and a portfolio of over 220 companies built over the last 15 years. Founded in 2001, Angeleno Group is a leading growth equity firm dedicated to investing in next generation energy and natural resources companies globally.

Media Contacts: Ray Yeung / Nancy Zakhary | Brainerd Communicators | 212-986-6667 | [email protected] / [email protected]

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