Brakes go on for US valet parking firms

Venture capital firms bet tens of millions of dollars that startups offering affordable valet parking to harried urbanites would flourish in the on-demand economy pioneered by Uber.

Parking valets working for companies with names like Luxe, Zirx, and Valet Anywhere became a common sight in the congested precincts of San Francisco, Chicago, and New York.

With a few taps on a phone, customers could summon a valet and avoid the hassle of finding a parking spot and then squeezing into it.