Carvana, an online used car retailer based in Phoenix, Arizona, recently announced plans to potentially expand their automated car vending machines into the Tempe market. The company initiated the process by asking the Tempe City Council for permission to build a glass, nine-story vending machine near the northwest corner of Scottsdale Road and Gilbert Drive. Carvana currently has five similar vending machines including those in Texas, Atlanta and Nashville. 

If you’re wondering how a car vending machine actually works, then you’re probably not alone. Carvana differs from the traditional process of buying a car by allowing customers to complete the entire process online, with no dealerships or salesmen. According to Carvana, after a customer finds a car that fits their respective preferences online, and they complete the purchase process, they can opt to visit a Carvana Vending Machine that enables them to pick up their car for free. Customers visiting one of the vending machines will be asked to enter a confirmation code on a keypad that will open the Vending Machine, and they get to drive away with their new car. Carvana staff remain on-site to assist those customers experiencing any issues. 

Otherwise, customers can still choose to have their cars delivered to them. Per Carvana’s website, “Even if you are located outside of our extended service area, you can still buy a car from Carvana and pick it up at one of our Vending Machines. Book a one-way flight to Atlanta, Nashville, Houston, Austin or San Antonio, and Carvana will subsidize $200 of your airfare. Carvana will also arrange white glove transportation to the Vending Machine you choose, where you can take possession of your car and drive it home.”