Motional’s First Consumer Education Campaign
#DriverlessEd is a creative campaign designed to educate and excite a wider consumer audience about autonomous vehicles, ultimately encouraging them to take a ride in a Motional robotaxi. A play on Driver’s Education—a rite of passage for 238 million licensed drivers in the U.S.—#DriverlessEd aimed to give consumers an inside look at the future of mobility by exploring what happens when you remove the driver.
The campaign featured a dedicated landing page on Motional.com, serving as a hub for long-form content, engaging videos, social-first creative, and interactive digital elements. By breaking down complex technology into digestible, consumer-friendly narratives, #DriverlessEd made AV technology more accessible and approachable.
Structured as a series of educational chapters, the content addressed key consumer questions and concerns identified through research and social listening. Topics ranged from how AV technology works to rigorous safety protocols and what to expect from the rider experience, making autonomous vehicles feel both familiar and exciting to potential passengers.
Motional is a joint venture between automotive technology expert Aptiv and vehicle manufacturing leader Hyundai Motor Group — uniquely positioned to fundamentally change the way the world moves. Motional is developing and commercializing SAE Level 4 autonomous vehicles (AVs) for driverless ride-hail and delivery. They partner with major ride-hail companies, including Uber, Lyft, Via, and Uber Eats, to deploy AVs on their networks.
Strategy:
Each chapter was crafted in simple, engaging language to make autonomous technology approachable while setting clear expectations for a first driverless ride. The content, including lighthearted and educational animated shorts, showcased Motional’s IONIQ 5 robotaxi with meticulous detail—highlighting its 30+ sensors, passenger screens, and autonomous steering. The surrounding environment was designed to reflect a thriving, AV-enabled community.
To maximize reach, we used a mix of organic and paid digital promotion, while geo-targeting in key markets like Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Engagement tools on Instagram, X/Twitter, and LinkedIn helped gauge audience understanding, with real-time Q&As, polls, and social takeovers featuring Motional’s subject matter experts answering consumer questions. In Part 2, launched in 2023, we optimized these takeover videos to be more stylized and serve as engaging, evergreen content.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
By combining compelling storytelling with strategic distribution, #DriverlessEd made AV technology easier to understand, sparking curiosity and excitement among consumers. Timeline and descriptions of each chapter are below.
Part 1: Spring/Summer 2022
Chapter 1:
Why Driverless Vehicles?
Discover what driverless vehicles and robotaxis are, how they’re built for safety, and why they can make transportation safer and more convenient.
Chapter 2:
The Difference Between ADAS And AVs
ADAS features like adaptive cruise control assist drivers, but they don’t make a car autonomous. This chapter breaks down the key differences between driver assistance and full autonomy.
Chapter 3: Enjoying the Ride
Beyond safety, AVs must be comfortable and easy to use. Learn how research shapes the rider experience, accessibility, and communication between AVs and passengers.
Chapter 4:
Ready to Launch
Before robotaxis hit the road, extensive preparation is required—mapping streets, building garages, and conducting test drives. This chapter explores what happens behind the scenes.
Part 2: Spring/Summer 2023
Chapter 5:
Before Your Ride
Every robotaxi undergoes rigorous inspections to ensure it’s safe, clean, and ready for passengers. Here’s what happens before you hail a ride.
Chapter 6:
During Your Ride
What’s it like to ride in a robotaxi? This chapter explains the seamless, tech-driven experience developed to replace the little steps passengers take in a traditional ride-hail trip.
Chapter 7:
Outside Your Ride
AV safety extends beyond passengers to everyone on the road. Learn how robotaxis navigate pedestrians, cyclists, emergency vehicles and other cars to keep communities safe.
The #DriverlessEd Campaign was so successful, it received an Honorable Mention from PR Daily's Content Marketing Awards for the Purpose of Brand Awareness in December 2023!
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