Forget home delivery.
Couriers are delivering items directly to cars in a system currently being evaluated for the UK — and the recipient doesn’t have to be present.
The technology required for remote access to the car is currently being tested in a pilot scheme by Czech-based Skoda.
Skoda set up DigiLab in 2017 to focus on the next stage of mobility, connectivity and digitalisation solutions for the car industry.
DigiLab has partnered with two of the biggest online retailers in the Czech Republic — Alaz.cz and Rohlik.cz — to trial a new delivery scheme with the view to bring the technology to UK consumers in the future.
Recent advances in in-car connectivity has enabled the brand to get the new delivery method up and running.
It works by giving the online retailer permission to deliver packages to a customer’s car via a mobile app.
When an order is placed, the car’s location is displayed to the courier via GPS for delivery.
Using the app, the courier is then granted one-time-only, secured access to open the boot within a pre-defined time frame.
They then place the parcel in the boot, re-lock the vehicle using the app and the customer is notified of the successful delivery.
Security is a paramount issue for the scheme; data is encrypted and the courier is restricted to opening the vehicle within a short time frame that is defined by the customer.
Head of Skoda DigiLab, Jarmila Plachá, said the pilot project provides a concrete look ahead at how everyday life can be made even simpler and more convenient in future by using state-of-the-art technology.
“I’m looking forward to further developing this project together with our partners,” he said.
The service and technology are currently being tested and specifically optimised; the system is going to be trialled for the project partners by a small selection of customers.
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