The concept of self-driving cars isn’t a new one, but the technology turning into a reality certainly is, and in an effort to educate the community about its greater impacts on society, Waymo is launching an awareness campaign in Arizona.
In partnership with groups such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving, East Valley Partnership and the Foundation for Senior Living, Waymo’s campaign dubbed “Let’s Talk Self-Driving” will start with digital and outdoor advertising in Arizona.
Waymo wants people to start talking about self-driving cars through this campaign, while also familiarizing people with Waymo’s technology, states its CEO John Krafcik.
“Together, we all share excitement at the potential for self-driving cars to one-day open doors to safer and easier transportation for millions of people,” Krafcik wrote in a blog post. “When 94 percent of road crashes today involve human error, self-driving cars promise a future where anyone can ride with a driver that never gets drunk, tired, or distracted”
Waymo has been testing its self-driving cars in Arizona, among other states, since April 2016. In April of this year, Waymo’s cars began driving around residents of Arizona as part of a trial for the public.
Krafcik states that there has been a lot of confusion about self-driving car technology, along with a great deal of enthusiasm, which is why the company decided to launch its campaign with Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the National Safety Council, the Foundation for Blind Children, the East Valley Partnership and the Foundation for Senior Living.
Parts of the campaign will focus on how self-driving technology can help with the biggest transportation safety challenges.
Waymo’s partners in this campaign each have different ads that will be served to locals in Arizona.
For instance, ads related to Mothers Against Drunk Driver have copy stating, “Because we can end drunk driving” near the group’s and Waymo’s logo and a photo of people sitting at a table with a glass of wine centered.
Meanwhile, the ads that are partnered with East Valley Partnership show a businesswoman in the passenger seat of a car reviewing documents, with copy stating, “Because your time is valuable.”
“The East Valley Partnership is proud that our region’s innovative business climate supports the future of autonomous transportation to reduce congestion on the road, ensure driver safety and get people where they need to go,” states John Lewis, president and CEO of the East Valley Partnership.
