What might look like a drug deal to your neighbors if they aren’t privy to the latest news, Amazon is bringing Prime members a new option to safely deliver packages and keep them away from thieves. Amazon already has an option available to customers that allows their unmarked drivers to open your front door and slide the package in, called Amazon Key. Of course, not everyone is open to the idea of giving strangers access to their house like that, regardless of having a camera in place or not. So now they are offering the ability to also (or instead) give them access to the trunk of your car.
Although this still raises a lot of trust concerns, there is at least less of a chance of loss, assuming you don’t keep anything valuable in your vehicle. Everything can be set up simply using the Amazon Key mobile app (available on both Android and iOS), and as long as you have a recent vehicle model that they support (2015+ and it needs to have access to an active connected service like OnStar–for one example), and you are an Amazon Prime member.
This new option is also part of the Amazon Key program, and it is rolling out to a select number of U.S. cities at first (37 in total), to see how well it plays out. Using the trunk of your car in such a way is a lot like having a secure drop box at your front door. Not only is the package out of sight, but just as hard to get to (for the most part).
This also means that your delivery can be sent to any address on your account (home, office, friend’s house, family, etc). As long as your car is readily available at that location when the delivery driver arrives and matches the proper description and license plate given on the app/order.
It works by making use of the vehicle’s active connected service (like OnStar), allowing the delivery driver to pop the trunk come time of delivery, so that they can safely place the package inside. Keeping it safe from any potential package prowlers. Of course, if your connected service is not active (let it be by trial or active subscription), the option will not work.
Currently, they support a number of vehicle brands, including Volvo, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac–with additional models to come if the program works out (and the other vehicle manufacturers want to play ball).
For more information, click here.
