Amazon’s service that lets delivery drivers open your door and leave packages inside your house is now live in Austin.
Amazon Key, a service announced last month that allows Amazon Prime members to get in-home deliveries through a smart door lock and camera system, is now officially available to Austin residents.
The service, which was met with some consumer hesitation when it was announced, may sound like a recipe for disaster. A random delivery person with access to inside your home isn’t exactly the definition of security. But Amazon assures the service is safe.
Here’s how it works: Users buy a $250 Amazon Key In-Home kit, which includes an indoor security camera and smart lock. When a driver requests access to a person’s home, Amazon verifies that the driver is at the right address, at the right time, and the camera begins recording and the door is unlocked. There’s no need for codes or extra keys.
Customers get real-time notifications when a delivery is being made, and they can watch live video of the drop off or review the video after the delivery is finished. Amazon also says the service can be used by others that need access to your home, like dog walkers and house cleaners.
Based on the nature of the product, consumers will likely be slow to adopt Amazon Key. However, people eventually embraced companies like Airbnb and Uber, where strangers are getting in your home and car. So it’s not a stretch to assume Amazon users will eventually get over fears of in-home delivery. But for now, according to a Recode poll, nearly 60% of Amazon Prime users say they would not buy Amazon Key.
Amazon Key is currently available in 37 cities across the U.S.
