Following Amazon’s Footsteps, China’s JD.com Launches In-Car Delivery

JD is launching a service in China where online shoppers can have their purchases delivered to anywhere they can park their cars.

The Chinese e-commerce giant has launched an ‘in-car delivery service’ in partnership with electric vehicle maker NIO, a similar concept to that unveiled by Amazon in the US in April.

The JD In-Car Delivery Service will use connected car technology that automatically locates customers’ cars, then enables JD’s delivery personnel to pop the trunk of  the car using a Personal Digital Assistant to the car, deposit the consumer’s order, and lock the trunk again.

To maximise security, the device is programmed so only the specifically authorised JD delivery person will be able to open the car trunk, while the entire delivery process can be monitored using in-car cameras.

JD, which boasts 90 per cent of its orders can be delivered same- or next-day, will deliver to vehicles parked at home, at the office, or in a range of other approved areas.

“The offering adds a new, convenient option for consumers with cars who may not be available to accept deliveries in person, such as office workers who park their cars in the company lot during the day, or commuters who leave their cars in their driveways while they are out,” said Bing Fu, head of planning and development, with JD Logistics.

“Imagine the convenience of finishing work for the day and knowing that your orders are already waiting in your car for you, ready to drive home. You can have the peace of mind that, even when you’re not at home, your JD orders have been stored securely in your trunk. JD In-Car Delivery makes that possible.”

The company plans to partner with other leading automakers in China to expand the service across connected car models in coming months.

To use in-car delivery, JD consumers who own compatible car models can link their JD account with their account on the automakers’ connected car platforms.