Echo Auto connects to Alexa using a mobile device and plays through car speakers via Bluetooth or auxiliary input, allowing users access to over 90,000 skills all from the driver’s seat.

PayByPhone is among the first available Alexa skills that allows users to pay for parking through Echo Auto. To use the PayByPhone skill for Alexa, users must enable the skill and connect their existing PayByPhone account through account linking. After this, users can simply say, “Alexa, ask PayByPhone to start parking” to begin a new parking session at the user’s desired spot for their desired duration.

“Voice based mobility services are the first step towards a more seamless and ‘hands-off’ in-car experience,” explained Andy Gruber, president and global CEO of PayByPhone. “Parking is commonly known to be the number one pain point in the mobility journey of a driver. Finding and paying for parking has become significantly easier with the PayByPhone app. What we have developed for Amazon Alexa is a way to further reduce the friction and allow for a more effortless and intuitive parking experience.”

With the PayByPhone skill, Alexa can also extend time and tell users how much time is left in the session, helping you avoid constant trips to the meter.

“It is a logical extension of our current service and part of our strategy to be present wherever and whenever a user might be looking for us,” said Gruber.