• Digital keys now make it possible to transform the car into a delivery pickup and drop-off zone
• More than half of people (60%) experienced delivery problems through online shopping last year
• Failed first-time deliveries generate significant costs for companies
In a groundbreaking technological move for the automotive industry, Volvo has demonstrated the world’s first delivery of food to the car – a new form of “roam delivery” services. The service, which will be showcased at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, allows consumers to have their shopping delivered straight to their car, no matter where they are.
“It’s all about finding solutions that are intuitive, easy to use and create customer benefits. The important thing is to make these complex and advanced systems easy to understand for everyone, even behind the wheel. Having the ability to order deliveries directly to your car is just one early example of that,” says Klas Bendrik, Group CIO at Volvo Car Group.
Volvo’s new digital key technology means people will be able to choose their car as a delivery option when ordering goods online. Via a smartphone or tablet, the owner will be informed when a delivery company wants to drop off or pick up something from the car.
Having accepted the delivery, the car owner hands out a digital key and can track when the car is opened and locked again. Once the pick up or drop off is completed, the digital key ceases to exist. The system is based on the functionality of the telematics app Volvo On Call, which, among other things, makes it possible to remotely heat or cool the car, see its location, or check its fuel level via a mobile phone.
The technology was tested during a pilot program with 100 people, 86 percent of which agreed that roam delivery saved them time. The innovative use of digital keys will now make it possible to save time, money and reduce environmental impact, following completion of the first tests of the concept.
With connected services such as roam delivery, the future car will be much more than just a means of transportation. Earlier this year Volvo Cars launched Sensus Connect, an integrated on board navigation and infotainment experience. Volvo Cars’ strategic partnership with Ericsson builds further on the idea of the networked society — by examining a host of consumer-centric concepts around the “Connected Vehicle Cloud” that will see the driving experience revolutionized over the coming years.
Comments