Google-owned navigation app Waze has teamed up with transportation data firm INRIX Inc. to make finding parking easier for its users. The new feature will boost Waze’s existing ‘where to park’ feature. The integration with INRIX and its aggregated parking data will allow more accuracy and a better user experience, allowing users to find available spaces quickly and easily navigate to them.

On average, North American and European drivers waste 55 hours each year looking for parking, according to a Frost and Sullivan report released in April last year. “As the co-pilot for driver navigation, Waze has begun to roll out the first of its parking suite features to solve this issue for drivers. Combining INRIX parking information with our own parking database expands reach and accuracy of the ‘where to park’ feature,” said Flavia Sasaki Siqueira, head of business development for Waze, in a news release announcing the partnership today.

The integration of INRIX data into Waze will allow users to navigate to a parking space near their destination, or select the option to find an available space when they arrive.

INRIX gathers real-time road traffic and infrastructure information from a variety of sources. The data is then used by various automakers, including Audi, BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Toyota, and Volkswagen; as well as municipalities and news outlets.

The data that INRIX gathers allows it to determine the availability of parking on a specific block. This information is also combined with pricing data, allowing users to get a complete visualization of where parking is available and what they are likely to pay.

INRIX partnered with Samsung Electronics Ltd. in 2015 to offer Galaxy S6 and S6 edge users various driving features. A year ago, the company expanded its offering with the acquisition of ParkMe, an app that assists users in finding and paying for parking.

Google acquired Waze, which uses crowd-sourced information to provide drivers with the most efficient route, for $1 billion in 2013, to boost the company’s mobile mapping services.  

The Waze app is available on iOS and Android. The integration of INRIX parking information will take place globally within the coming months.

Images via Waze; Facebook | INRIX