DHL partners Volvo for remote deliveries via parked cars

As part of the project, DHL gets access to a parked car upon the owner’s consent for delivery via a text message. The program may be announced in the near future, and discussions with other carmakers are under way. The deliver-to-car service is potentially available in any of the 20 countries where Volvo’s On Call smartphone application is offered, including China.

Volvo ran a pilot program in 2013 in Sweden, using its GPS-linked On Call service to enter vehicles and drop off groceries in their car trunks. Swedish online retailer Linas Matkasse and Norwegian delivery service Bring were also part of the test.

DHL’s owner, Deutsche Post, said it needs more than one attempt on more than 50 million shipments in Germany each year. Deutsche Post has installed automated street-side kiosks across Germany where consumers can pick up parcels at any time. The company has also started scheduled deliveries of medication and other urgent goods by drone helicopter to remote locations.