After excelling in thousands of technical trials, Hyundai’s IONIQ5 robotaxi has achieved a new milestone. In an initiative by Jung von Matt, it became the first autonomous vehicle to take and pass a standard driving license test in Nevada.
The car was put through its paces in Las Vegas by a real-life driving examiner, undergoing a road test around the famous Las Vegas Strip and some suburban areas of the city. Examiner, Kandice Jones, is a certified driving examiner with the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) who, in her career as an examiner, failed almost 90% of the students.
Starting on a grade, shifting, keeping in lane, left turn, right turn, overtaking, speed control, reaction time, focus and attention, emergency brake, parallel parking – these are a few of the tests the driverless vehicle had to face.
The results? IONIQ5 robotaxi aced the test with a perfect score.
Jung von Matt’s campaign film, directed by Park Pictures’ Daniel Mercadante, features a visually impaired former Paralympian, Pearl Outlaw, together with her mother Ruth. Their personal story illustrates emotively how Hyundai’s autonomous driving technology will be able to help Pearl in future with her daily transportation challenges.
The goal of the campaign is to change perceptions of autonomous driving technology, which currently suffers from a lack of trust in comparison with human drivers, and to show how it can benefit people’s daily lives enormously. With the story of Pearl, it underlines how Hyundai is committed to designing driving solutions that enhance the quality of life for individuals unable to drive independently, aiming to empower them with greater autonomy and mobility.
“As a company that pursues freedom of mobility, we at Hyundai aim to exhibit the safety and trustworthiness of the IONIQ 5 robotaxi through this very campaign,” stated Sungwon Jee, senior vice president and global chief marketing officer at Hyundai Motor Company. “We will continue our efforts to communicate about our AI-based autonomous driving technology, which is set to provide positive changes in the everyday lives of our customers.”
To Kandice’s surprise, the vehicle not only meets but exceeds expectations, achieving a flawless score, and the vehicle is issued with its own personal Nevada’s drivers licence. This achievement underscores the robotaxi’s reliability and safety, opening a new era of trust and technological reliance that could transform millions of lives. The film underines how advancement holds particular promise for individuals like Pearl and all those people that due to physical or mental limitations, might never have the chance to undergo a driving test. Invited to experience the IONIQ5 robotaxi firsthand after the examination, Pearl’s journey symbolizes the potential for enhanced independence through innovation, offering a glimpse into a future where technology broadens horizons for everyone.
Jung von Matt was awarded the project following a competitive pitch and worked on the campaign from creative concept development to production and post-production, with three of its agencies – Jung von Matt Neckar, Jung von Matt Spree and Jung von Matt Sports.
“Autonomous driving technology would be a game changer for a large part of the population. And while there are great achievements being made in the development of the technology there are major trust issues in the general public. We hope this project will spark a conversation around who would benefit from driverless cars and what it would take to get someone stepping into a car with no one behind the steering wheel,” noted Jung von Matt CCO, Daniel Schäfer.
The film will be running online and on the Hyundai Worldwide social media channels.
Credits
Agency: Jung von Matt
Matteo Maggiore & Valerio Mangiafico: Creative Directors
Daniel Schäfer & Szymon Rose: CCOs
Muhamed Braimi: Senior Art Director
Henry Bollmann: Copywriter Role
Luis Paulo Gatti: Art Director
Marlene Bauer: Senior Account Manager
Albert Hornbach: Executive Account Director
Jenni Kuhlmann: Production Director Role on this entry: Produc3on
Production Company: Park Pictures
Director & DOP: Daniel Mercadante
Managing Director & EP: Fran Thompson
Executive Producer: Fred Deedes
Producer: Jed Hubbard
Production Manager: Molly Salz
Production Designer: Bre( Lama
Editing Company: Cartel
Editor: Chris Catanach
Edit Assistant: Nick Bruce
Edit Producer: Jen Tramaglio
Post-production Company: Time Based Arts
Post & VFX Producer: Sian Jenkins
Colourist: Simone Grattarola
2D Lead: Leo Weston
2D Compositors: Lucy Lawrence, Ludvig Hallenius, Olivia O’Neil, Simon Melin.
Sound: Factory
Sound Design: Anthony Moore
Producer: Beth Massey
Music: K O Music
Composer: Philip Kay
Producer: Andy Oskwarek
