Following in the footsteps of Volvo Cars and General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co. is teaming up with Amazon to allow for packages to be delivered to millions of vehicles. The offering will be available on some recent Ford and Lincoln models, Bloomberg reported.
Through the offering, delivery drivers can unlock cars and put packages in the back seat or trunk before locking the vehicle. The focus of the offering, according to the report, is to assuage concerns shoppers have over leaving packages on front porches without any protection. It also offers Ford an additional opening as it dips its toes into online commerce.
The automaker is reportedly “in discussion” with grocers and other merchants to grow car delivery services. Lorin Kennedy, who heads up the FordPass unit, told the outlet, “I consider us open for business.” Kennedy continued, “With Amazon and the mobile washes as our first partners, we’re really ready to start bringing a lot more services to customers so they see the value of having a connected vehicle.”
The news comes as it was reported that eligible members of Amazon’s Prime program can receive products in their garage via a Key Smart Garage Kit. During the Amazon checkout process, customers can choose an “In-Garage delivery” option. And shoppers can use the Key by Amazon app to check the status of their garage doors in addition to remotely opening or closing them.
GM of Key by Amazon Rohit Shrivastava said in an announcement for the offering earlier this month, “We know it is important to keep innovating to make delivery as convenient as possible for customers, which is why we’re excited to now have Key for Garage available.” Shrivastava continued, “Today, we are thrilled to open Key by Amazon to millions of Prime members who can now have their Amazon packages delivered securely to their garages.”
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