Volvo turns cars into postboxes

Volvo has a vision of courier firms and motorists saving time and money.

Swedish carmaker Volvo says it is developing a system to enable online shopping deliveries direct to customers' cars rather than their homes.

The company said it had created a single-use digital key, which postal or delivery services can use to locate a vehicle and open it.

Volvo is developing a system to enable online shopping deliveries direct to customers' cars rather than their homes.

The system "will allow consumers to have shopping delivered straight to their car, no matter where they are", said the company.

"Via a smartphone or a tablet, the owner will be informed when a delivery company wants to drop off or pick up something from the car," they added.

The owner of the car then accepts the delivery and can track when the car is opened.

The technology would provide a solution for people who are on the move and need to receive deliveries away from their home or office.

The company said failed deliveries cost courier companies around €1 billion ($1.65 billion) in re-delivery costs each year.

"The technology was trialled during a pilot programme of 100 people, 86 per cent of whom agreed that 'roam delivery' saved them time," Volvo said.

"The future car will be much more than just a means of transportation."

The company will present the technology at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week but has not set a launch date for clients.

Chinese-owned Volvo is trying to join brands such as Audi or BMW at the high end of the market as well as become most innovative.

-AAP