Jung von Matt

To convince even the last sceptics of the safety of the self-driving Hyundai IONIQ 5, Jung von Matt simply had the vehicle undergo a real driving test. Accompanied by a film, this test could be experienced at first hand. The multistage campaign not only became a viral hit, but with over 145 million impressions and 62 million views, it also shows that fact-based communication is on the rise and can even offer great entertainment value. Congratulations on passing your driving test!

Interview with Jung von Matt

Red Dot: For this campaign, the self-driving Hyundai IONIQ 5 had to pass a real driving test. How did this idea come about?
Jung von Matt: We developed our ideas from the realisation that more than 70 per cent of people are sceptical about autonomous driving technology – despite thousands of tests that have already been carried out successfully.

The main aim of the campaign is therefore to convince sceptics worldwide of the safety of the autonomous model. Was this requirement also the biggest challenge?
Yes, the challenge was to create trust. As many people are unable to understand the technical tests that autonomous driving technology undergoes, we opted for a test that nearly everyone has experienced at least once in their lives. We put the Robotaxi through an internationally recognised driving test – with a local driving examiner who has an excellent reputation but also the highest failure rate. The test was filmed so that people all over the world can see and understand the process and the results.

Does corporate communication need to be much more fact-based and verifiable today than it used to be?
Absolutely. In today’s world, where people have free and unlimited access to data and news, it is crucial that corporate communication is based on facts. It needs to be founded on real, verifiable insights – not just intuition.

What was the response to this campaign?
We were surprised by the positive response to this campaign. The PR impact was enormous and led many viewers to reconsider their opinions on autonomous driving. Hyundai is now perceived as a brand that is actively shaping the future of transport with a forward-thinking and inclusive approach.