Amazon sparked some controversy in 2017 when it unveiled "Key," a delivery system that allows drivers to open up your front door and drop off packages inside. Key comes with a camera and a unique smart lock intended to prevent shady behaviour from drivers, while also keeping your packages safe from drive-by thieves.
Despite user privacy and security concerns, Amazon has continued to expand Key over time - and it's doing so again today, through features unveiled at CES 2019.
These features include smart doorbell support, "Key for Business," and a garage entry option for particularly security-conscious customers. That last feature is arguably the most interesting of all - one of the major reservations Key naysayers have with the system is that letting strangers directly into their home is too risky.
By only letting drivers into their garage, the risk of theft could be reduced significantly (if a driver attempts to steal a car, it would probably be pretty obvious), while still retaining the package security benefits that Key already offers.
Key for Business is the natural evolution of the standard Key experience. Geared towards high-end apartment residents and businesses, it can give delivery couriers personalized, temporary door codes which allow them into a building without the need to "buzz" a secretary, resident, or business owner for entry.
It's certainly nice to see Amazon take additional steps to boost the security of Key, but even with these improvements, there are undoubtedly plenty of people who will see the system as too risky to bother with.
Middle image courtesy The Verge