8-story car vending machine opens in San Antonio

An eight-story tower holds cars at Carvana’s new “car vending machine,” a concept that allows online customers to come pick up their cars in person. The company can also deliver vehicles directly to customers. less An eight-story tower holds cars at Carvana’s new “car vending machine,” a concept that allows online customers to come pick up their cars in person. The company can also deliver vehicles directly to ... more Photo: William Luther /San Antonio Express-News Photo: William Luther /San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 11 Caption Close 8-story car vending machine opens in San Antonio 1 / 11 Back to Gallery

Like an Amazon for cars, Carvana offers online purchasing and delivery of used cars. But the Phoenix-company offers something more — in-person pickup from the company’s new vending machine in San Antonio.

Carvana opened its eight-story car vending machine at the intersection of Interstate 10 and Loop 1604 Wednesday for customers who have purchased their vehicles. The Phoenix-based company has been offering delivery-only service to San Antonio customers since September 2015. Now with the vending machine, customers can choose to come and watch as their cars are removed from one of the tower’s 30 slots and placed in a delivery bay for pickup, all without having to deal with a salesperson.

The entire system is automated and only requires a customer to click their name on a computer screen and insert an oversized silver coin in a hole that mimics a vending machine. The elevator then goes up to the appropriate level, spinning to the correct angle before pulling the car’s platform onto it. The elevator returns to the ground level and puts the car on an autonomous transport that shuttles the vehicle to a delivery bay.

Co-founder Ryan Keeton said the cars in the tower are “pure fulfillment” meaning they have already been purchased and are waiting to be picked up by customers.