In recent years, vehicle navigation devices providing turn-by-turn directions guiding drivers to their destinations have expanded and increased in popularity. In addition, applications providing navigation services and turn-by-turn directions have been developed for user mobile devices such as cell-phones. As a result, users now commonly use their mobile devices to guide them to their intended destinations.
In addition to turn-by-turn directions, vehicle navigation devices and applications can provide information on landmarks and amenities located within a user's vicinity, such as nearest gas stations, restaurants, hospitals, or the like. The vehicle navigation devices and applications can thus be used to obtain information about and guide users to nearby landmarks and amenities.
The vehicle navigation devices and applications, however, generally do not provide current parking information to users. In particular, the navigation devices and applications do not provide real-time parking information to users, such as information on current and future parking availability at a location. As a result, users cannot rely on navigation devices and applications to locate and select parking garages or parking spots, and must instead drive around in search of open parking spots or parking garages with availability.
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