SAN FRANCISCO – BMW has launched a new program called ParkNow, a joint venture with a company called Urban Mobility, which is an online mobile parking service that enables users to pay in advance for parking. Users can search for parking using ParkNow’s mobile application or website, and from there, reserve, pay, and then be navigated directly to the parking facility, helping reduce time spent looking for parking.

There are currently 14 ParkNow locations in and around San Francisco that are piloting this system. Stations are located close to BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit), Muni (San Francisco Municipal Railway), bike-sharing stations, and near airports, at the San Francisco International Airport, Oakland International Airport and in Palo Alto. According to BMW, four ParkNow partner operators, ProPark America, Towne Park, ABM Parking and California Parking, will launch more than 100 additional ParkNow locations in the coming weeks.

This initiative is part of BMW’s i brand, which the company describes as being focused “developing sustainable premium mobility solutions.” The automaker is a partner of the non-profit Green Parking Council, which focuses on sustainable parking solutions.