With days to go before the Christmas shopping rush officially begins, Volvo has unveiled what it’s calling the first commercially available in-car delivery service.
Available to owners who use Volvo’s On-Call app and telephone support service, the premise is simple — and better still you can avoid crowded mall carpark.
Order your goods online; have them delivered to the boot of your car, perhaps while you’re out at work or having a morning coffee with friends; and then drive home with your packages at your leisure.
The system works by allowing the car to be unlocked with the use of a “digital key”.
That’s a one-time-only device that the courier can use to gain access to the car.
The courier uses a tablet and satellite navigation to locate the car within the car park, and once the package has been delivered, the car’s owner receives a notification on their phone.
The service is available only in Gothenburg, Sweden, but Volvo says it plans to expand in-car delivery to make it available in other countries eventually.
And while only Swedish retailers Lekmer.se and Mat.se support the service at present, Volvo is promising that a wider range of companies will offer the service as a delivery option in the future.
“Christmas is fun — but let’s be honest, it is also a busy time for most families. This service simply makes shopping easier,” said Björn Annwall, Volvo’s senior vice-president for marketing, sales and service.
“Volvo in-car delivery provides concrete proof that connected car technologies can be used to save people time and make their lives easier.”
-Telegraph Group Ltd