Owners of certain Ford cars can now have parcels delivered directly to their boot.
Launched in selected areas of the UK, the project is available for deliveries made by Hermes.
The Secure Delivery to Vehicle pilot allows Ford cars to be used as a safe place to leave a parcel when the recipient is unavailable.
More parcels, more problems
A boom in e-commerce, triggered by the global pandemic, means online orders now account for more than 30 percent of retail sales.
The Secure Delivery to Vehicle pilot will let parcels be delivered to Ford cars parked near the owner’s home. No extra cost to the recipient is involved, with Ford and Hermes noting that the new method helps to retain social distancing.
Using the Secure Delivery to Vehicle service also avoids delivery drivers having to find a neighbour to take packages.
It means the days of parcels wedged in wheelie bins or tossed over fences could be over.
How Ford Secure Delivery to Vehicle works
To take advantage of the service, owners need to be FordPass subscribers. Selected online retailers will be able to offer the ‘vehicle delivery’ option.
When the Hermes delivery driver is within 300 metres of the destination, the vehicle’s exact location will appear on their app. Once they reach 50 metres, scanning the barcode on the parcel will generate a token to unlock the Ford car.
If the delivery driver does not lock the car, the vehicle will automatically lock itself after a set period.
Should the car not be within 300 metres of the recipient’s address, a delivery will be made to their home instead. This will also apply for packages that are too large to safely fit inside the car.
Added convenience for all
The Secure Delivery to Vehicle marks the latest in a series of projects between Ford and Hermes. Research into making pedestrian couriers more efficient, and self-driving vehicle options, is also being undertaken.
Mark Harvey, Ford of Europe’s enterprise connectivity director, said: “Together with Hermes, we are looking at more secure and efficient ways to deliver parcels, to match the increasing demands coming from online purchases. Turning the vehicle into a delivery point is extremely convenient for the customer. It puts them in control, to ensure their parcel is where they want it.”
The Secure Delivery to Vehicle pilot follows a similar project undertaken in the United States. This saw Amazon Prime packages delivered to selected Ford and Lincoln vehicles.
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