The Volkswagen brand is building a big digital user platform. The We Deliver service is one element. Here is how it works.
We Deliver is one of the services of Volkswagen We, the digital platform Volkswagen is working on to create a connection between the Brand, people and future mobility. The market for digital mobility services is significant. According to a forecast from the consulting firm McKinsey, global revenues from digital mobility services could reach US$1.5 trillion by 2030, one-quarter of all automotive revenues.
Volkswagen We will be practical, intuitive, easy to use and highly connected. The goal? Simplifying users’ day-to-day lives. The We “universe” includes various apps through which it is possible, for example, to find and pay for parking via your smartphone (We Park) or check your car remotely (Car-Net). Even those who do not own one of the newest Volkswagens will be able to connect via the Data Plug, compatible with all Volkswagen vehicles from MY08 onwards (with the exception of Phaeton and Touareg). It is a small device which connects to the vehicle’s OBD2 socket, allowing it to communicate with the Volkswagen Connect app to obtain access to the digital services.
We Deliver – intelligent deliveries
We Deliver is a delivery service based on an app which uses the customer’s car as the final delivery point. It is designed to simplify users’ lives by making deliveries simpler, without them having to hang around at home, at the office or another predefined location.
This is how it works: after completing the order online, the customer chooses his/her vehicle as the “delivery address”. The courier receives the vehicle’s position and leaves the package directly in the luggage compartment, after opening it using a unique, one-time access code. The customer receives a notification from the app on the smartphone that the package has been delivered and can collect it whenever he/she wants.
The service is currently undergoing a testing phase, and is not yet available to the public, but the goal is to roll it out soon. Testing began on 4 September 2017 in Berlin, with a fleet of Volkswagen Polos and more than 300 people involved.
We Deliver fits perfectly into the ecosystem that Volkswagen is creating for its future mobility plans, for two reasons: The first is the digital key, a tool which goes beyond the specific application – in this case delivery – and can also authorise others, such as friends and family, to use a car without the owner being physically present. This also allows those who do not own one of the Brand’s vehicles to have a Volkswagen digital account. Second, We Deliver demonstrates how cooperation can function. However tough competition on digital markets may be, no online customer is willing to accept product boundaries that are too rigid. The brands must be aware of who they are and what they are, but they also need to stay compatible with the outside world.
Reliable and close to people – that was part of Volkswagen’s DNA in the analog age and will likely be the best possible motto in the digital ecosystem of the future, too.
Source: TOGETHER.net – Volkswagen AG
