Swedish auto maker Volvo says it is developing a system to enable online shopping deliveries direct to customers' cars rather than their homes.
The company said it had created a single-use digital key, which postal or delivery services can use to locate a vehicle and open it.
The system "will allow consumers to have shopping delivered straight to their car, no matter where they are", the company said in a statement on Thursday.
"Via a smartphone or a tablet, the owner will be informed when a delivery company wants to drop off or pick up something from the car," they added.
The owner of the car then accepts the delivery and can track when the car is opened.
The technology would provide a solution for people who are on the move and need to receive deliveries away from their home or office.
The company said failed deliveries cost courier companies around one billion euros ($A1.53 billion) in re-delivery costs each year.
"The technology was trialled during a pilot program of 100 people, 86 per cent of which agreed that 'roam delivery' saved them time," Volvo said.
"The future car will be much more than just a means of transportation."
The company will present the new technology at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on February 24-25, but has not set a launch date for clients.
Chinese-owned Volvo is attempting to move into the high-end auto segment, to join brands such as Audi or BMW, as well as position itself as one of the most innovative in the market.
