Amazon Prime members in the Twin Cities can now have purchases dropped off in the trunk or backseat of their car instead of to their doorstep.
The new option, which is part of the Amazon Key service that lets delivery people enter participating homes to drop off a box, is available in Minneapolis and St. Paul as well as 36 other cities.
The service only works with a select group of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Cadillac and Volvo vehicles that are 2015 or newer and have an active OnStar or On Call account. The technology uses GPS locations, license plate numbers and images to confirm they are delivering to the right vehicle. Amazon says about 7 million cars would qualify for such deliveries.
Amazon started testing the in-car service about six months ago in Washington and California before Tuesday’s rollout. It plans to open the service up to more vehicle types in more markets in the future.
When Amazon Prime members select the “in-car” delivery option, they’ll be asked to share where they’re parked and to select a 4-hour delivery window. Amazon verifies an authorized driver is at the right spot with the right package, and the app alerts Prime members when their delivery has been made and their car has been relocked.
If you’ve move your car before the delivery is made, the delivery person will bring your purchase to a selected backup location, such as your house, or you can delay in-car delivery to another day.
The service won’t work when your car is in a parking garage — it has to be an open, street-level area that is publicly accessible.
“Since launching Amazon Key last November, we’ve safely delivered everything from cameras to collectable coins inside the home. Customers have also told us they love features like keyless guest access and being able to monitor their front door from anywhere with the Amazon Key App,” Peter Larsen, VP of delivery technology at Amazon, said in a news release. “In-car delivery gives customers that same peace of mind and allows them to take the Amazon experience with them. And, with no additional hardware or devices required, customers can start ordering in-car delivery today.”
Image courtesy of Amazon
