For several years, Amazon has had the idea of finding a way to deliver a package into the trunk of their buyer’s car instead of on their doorstep. This idea has finally become a reality.
On April 24, the company announced a new service that gives its couriers access to a buyer’s vehicle in order to leave a package in the trunk. Amazon made a deal with General Motors and Volvo for the manufacturers to produce cars that have connected technologies enabling Amazon access to the vehicles. This new service officially began on April 24 and is active in 37 cities around the United States.
According to Peter Larson, vice president of delivery technology at Amazon, the company was pleased with the in-home-delivery. He told The Verge in an interview, “We were really happy with response to in-home delivery. What we wanted to do – and it was part of the plan all along – is how we take that beyond the home.”
Before the new means of delivery went live, Amazon beta tested the service in California and Washington state for six months. Amazon posted a video of the beta test that included the testimonials of customers who enjoyed the service. A couple of the benefits mentioned were not having to be bothered by the doorbell while a toddler was sleeping and having a sneakier method of delivering birthday gifts.
So how does the service actually work? What the customer has to do is add the car to the Amazon key app and include a description of the vehicle. The car has to be parked within a certain radius of the address provided. After the purchase, Amazon sends a series of notifications to let the customer know that the package is on the way and allow the customer to change the delivery address. Amazon’s couriers will have access to the vehicle’s GPS location and license plate number, as well as have an image of the car. Amazon says that it never has access to the customer’s connected car login details and all the communications between the company and the car system are encrypted. During a live test of the service to The Verge, Larsen pointed out all the security checks that occur during the delivery. “We only actually do the unlock if its the right person, right place, right car, right time. Got to pass all those checks.”
Some Amazon customers are still a little hesitant about the idea of giving Amazon couriers access to their vehicles. Laura Fuhrmeister, an Amazon Prime member, said, “I’m worried that this would give the couriers too much access to my car. I’m alright with them leaving packages on my doorstep, but this is a little too far.”
