Cisco exec praises IoT for letting naughty partners order direct from Amazon to their Audi
Joseph Bradley, VP of consulting and Cisco's Internet of Everything business, hailed the recently launched direct-to-car drop off service as a "frictionless life" experience that will allow himself and others like him to order what they want from Amazon without their wives knowing.
The Audi Connect Easy Delivery system, developed after Audi integrated keyless access technology into some of its vehicles, allows DHL drivers to deliver packages to wherever the recipient, or more specifically the recipient's Audi, happen to be.
Joseph Bradley is excited about the prospect of bringing everything from cars to fences online Cisco
"If you're like me and you're into technology you order stuff on Amazon all the time," he said at Cisco Live in San Diego today. "I have a lovely spouse and she allows me to believe that I'm in charge as long as I stay within a certain parameter. But having all these boxes being delivered to the house all of the time tends to get you in trouble because they know. They know you've done something because here comes the Amazon box, right
"Audi has got this great idea that says if you're a busy professional, who loves your wife but you're also a little scared that what you're buying, we got a solution for you. We can put it in the trunk of your car."
Bradley, who described the service as "wonderful", added: "I've got about about three and a half minutes before she comes out of the door to look what's happening in the garage. By then it's all been unpackaged and hidden."
In order for DHL to deliver an Amazon parcel to the boot of a car the driver must first consent to having their position tracked during a set delivery window. The DHL delivery driver is issued with a single-use digital access code that opens the boot and expires as soon as the boot is closed.
Audi claims the system will protect the Audi driver's personal data and the security of the car itself.
Sadly for Bradley, he'll have to wait before being able to capitalise on the service as it's currently only being trialled with a handful of Amazon Prime customers in Munich, Germany.
Bradley, a man with no obvious visual impairments, also admitted to being very excited about the prospect of a garden fence that tells him when it needs painting and a fridge that informs him when milk is about to run out.
Cisco, which creates hardware and platforms that underpin connected devices, believes the global internet of things market is a $19 billion (£12 billion) opportunity.