Socar's parking platform launches AI voice service for buying parking passes

Socar's parking platform Modoo Parking has launched what it says is South Korea's first AI-powered voice service for purchasing parking passes. Where drivers previously struggled to search for parking and complete payment while on the move, the new feature lets users buy a parking pass through conversation rather than manual screen navigation.

However, the AI handles only the search and price-checking stages — payment itself is excluded from AI involvement. The company said this design is intended to protect personal data and guard against security risks that could arise during transactions.

Modoo Parking announced the service Thursday. When a user tells the Modoo Parking app their destination and how long they need to park, the AI recommends a shortlist of nearby parking lots, guides them through to payment and connects them to turn-by-turn navigation.

The service was conceived after the company noticed that many users buy parking passes while already in transit. Modoo Parking data show that about 62 percent of parking pass buyers enter a lot within one hour of completing payment, suggesting most purchases happen en route to a destination.

In response, Modoo Parking designed a voice-only interface that lets users move from searching for a parking lot all the way to the payment screen without ever looking at the display.

The experience closely resembles a standard AI conversation. Tapping the "AI Mic" button at the top of the app's main screen activates voice recognition. On first use, the app asks for microphone permission, consent to AI terms of service, and confirmation of a registered payment card and vehicle. While the user speaks, the AI displays what it is picking up in real time on screen.

For example, a user can tap the AI Mic button on the app's home search bar and say "Find me a parking lot near Gangnam Station" or "That parking lot I paid for last time," and the AI will guide them to their preferred spot through conversation. At the final step, a "Pay" button completes the purchase.

Throughout the process, the AI leads with the lowest-priced parking lot within a reasonable walking distance of the destination. Users can refine results by saying things like "somewhere cheaper," "I only need one hour," or "show me other options," and the AI reads out a revised list in order. Users can then select a lot by saying "the first one" or "that last parking lot" to proceed to payment.

Modoo Parking deliberately kept the payment step outside the AI's control, routing it instead through a button tap processed directly by the platform's own system. The final amount is recalculated and verified once more before the transaction goes through. If the confirmed amount differs from what the AI quoted, the payment is halted and the user is presented with the corrected figure.

To protect personal data, the platform's servers replace a user's actual vehicle registration number and card details with anonymized tokens — such as "Vehicle 1" and "Card 1" — before passing any information to the AI. The AI works only with these tokens to understand the user's intent and is blocked from accessing real personal data directly. All conversation data are deleted immediately when a session ends.

"This service is one of the outcomes of our internal AI Pilot Program, which challenges teams to solve business problems using AI through an open competition," said Noh Hyeon-cheol, head of Modoo Parking. "After this beta launch, we will continuously refine the service based on real usage data to improve the experience for our users."