Trial service could signal the end of missed deliveries for car owners

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:41 JST, February 2, 2022

Yamato Transport Co., KDDI Corp. and other entities have started trialing a service in which delivery workers will leave packages inside the cars of recipients as part of efforts to cope with a labor shortage in the transportation industry.

In addition to reducing the number of redeliveries, the service is thought to be safer than leaving packages in the doorways of recipients who are not at home at the time of delivery, which is often done with the consent of recipients.

The trial will involve people who live in houses, not apartments, and own Toyota Motor Corp. vehicles that can be opened with smartphones using digital key technology.

Trial participants can use a special app to specify where they want the delivery worker to leave the item, such as the trunk or passenger seat.

A digital key valid for a certain period of time will be issued to the smartphones of delivery workers, allowing them to unlock the car, drop off the package and lock the door.

Before deciding whether to launch the system, the companies will study issues that arise during the trial, which will be conducted in Tokyo and Aichi Prefecture until the end of April.