Amazon Key will enable drivers to let themselves in to your house to deposit parcels

Err, I don't think so, thank you very much, Amazon

Amazon has revealed its latest wheeze to dominate online and real-world retail with what it calls Amazon Key.

The technology uses so-called smart locks that can be opened by an "Amazon Logistics courier" enabling them to enter the houses of customers who are out in order to drop their packages off.

More realistically, Amazon Key could be deployed for home Amazon Locker devices enabling delivery staff to leave parcels somewhere safe.

Amazon Key leverages the Zigbee connection in the new Amazon Echo Plus, which can act as a home hub, along with the new Cloud Cam (below). This is Amazon's first security camera and the latest addition to the list of proprietary security camera systems that simply won't play nicely together.

"Cloud Cam has all the features you need to monitor your home, including a 1080p Full HD camera, night vision, two-way audio, and free storage for clips, and with the secure AWS cloud powering Cloud Cam's advanced computer algorithms and intelligent alerts, the service is always getting smarter," said Charlie Tritschler, vice president of Amazon Devices

The system should work because each Amazon driver will be identifiable by face, location, time and has the right smart key. These features are supposed to allay people's natural fears of allowing someone into their home when they're out.

With the biggest smart lock players, Yale and August, now both under the Assa Abloy brand, and Google's Nest about to release its own smart lock in association with Yale, things are about to get heat up in this space, assuming anyone sensible wants locks that can be triggered remotely.

US retail giant Walmart is also looking into home delivery with a "let yourself in" aspect for couriers.