FORD

The brand has started a pilot project in partnership with Hermes, one of the UK's largest parcel companies, which uses the customer's vehicle as a delivery point...By opting for 'Secure Vehicle Delivery', packages are deposited directly in the trunk of the car, which is opened and closed using the FordPass app.

The aim is to offer more convenience in online shopping, which continues to grow and already accounts for 30% of retail sales in the UK. In addition to making life easier for people who returned to face-to-face work and are no longer at home to take orders, the system serves those who are in the home office and do not want to be interrupted to answer the door.

The novelty also streamlines the work of deliverymen, who are free to ring bells, climb stairs or find a neighbor to receive the package when no one answers.

How It Works... Launched this month in select areas of the UK, the new service allows deliveries to vehicles parked up to 300 meters from a customer's home address, excluding multi-storey or gated car parks. With the expansion of the pilot, the idea is to expand the service to other addresses and also include the return of goods in the vehicle.

When the delivery person arrives within 300 meters of the destination, the exact location of the customer's vehicle is displayed in the Hermes app, which generates a unique token for unlocking the trunk. If after delivery he is unable to lock the vehicle, it automatically locks after a certain time.

All remote controls are activated by permissions given by the customer via FordPass. If the vehicle is more than 300 meters from the indicated address or the package is too big to fit in the trunk, delivery takes place at the residence.

Ford's partnership with Hermes in this area also includes intelligent software that combines foot and van delivery trucks for urban deliveries and an autonomous vehicle research program.

“We are looking together with Hermes for safer and more efficient delivery ways to meet the growth of online shopping. Turning the vehicle into a delivery point is extremely convenient for the customer, who receives the package wherever and whenever they want,” says Mark Harvey, director of Business Connectivity at Ford of Europe.

Autonews