Amazon Introduces In-Car Package Delivery In 37 Cities
Privacy vs. Convenience
Last week, Amazon announced that Prime subscribers in 37 cities will be able to accept package deliveries to their cars, also has courier in the Philippines and all over the world. Amazon Prime customers can take advantage by downloading and using the Amazon Key app. With just a few taps on a smartphone screen, the courier can unlock the car and drop the box inside the trunk or on the back seat. Doesn’t that sound great?
Slight problem. Amazon can’t just deliver to any car. The company’s trunk-delivery service currently supports any Chevrolet, Buick, GMC or Cadillac from 2015 or later, as long as it has an active OnStar account. The service also works with newer Volvos (2015 or later) that use “Volvo On Call.” That covers roughly 7 million people, and Amazon says it will support even more vehicles going forward.
The new service is aimed at anyone who doesn’t want to risk having their package swiped from their front porch or who can’t receive an Amazon order at work, perhaps because an employer doesn’t allow it or because the company mailroom is not secure.
According to Volvo, the service is similar to one that already exists in Europe.
“We have offered in-car delivery in Europe since 2015 through programs in the Nordics and Switzerland, and we believe that receiving packages should be as easy and convenient as ordering them online,” said Anders Tylman-Mikiewicz, vice president of consumer connectivity services at Volvo, in a statement.
Amazon said that deliveries can only be made to cars parked in an “open, street-level, and publicly accessible area.” Packages will either be left in the trunk or the cabin, depending on the type of vehicle it is and how much space is available. If the driver can’t access the car or the package doesn’t fit, the delivery will be rerouted to a backup location of the customer’s choosing.
Amazon said the service will be expanded to other carmakers over time. The company conducted a small pilot test of in-car delivery in Germany in partnership with Audi and DHL several years ago.
Would you trust Amazon with the keys to your car?
