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Q1 2018 | EVENT

extension of the smart home, says Ted Cardenas,
a vice-president at Pioneer Electronics. Drivers
will be able to set the temperature to 70 degrees
as they’re on the way home and get the oven
preheated while they’re at it.
“All of these smart devices are coming
together in a smart world – it doesn’t really mat-
ter where you are,” he says. It’s like the reverse
of hitting the remote-start button for your car
from inside your home. “Now, you can start
your home when you’re in the car so it’s ready
for you when you get home,” Cardenas says.

3. Cars are really getting to know you. Imaging
systems, like those built by Vayyar, are using
sensors to monitor the bodily functions of their
drivers to determine things like whether a mo-
torist is nodding off behind the wheel. While
the privacy component might be thorny, Vayyar
CEO Raviv Melamed argues that sensors will
be designed to be non-invasive.
“People don’t like to be monitored, they
don’t like to have cameras on [their faces],” he
says. “If you have a sensor that can get that data
without compromising your privacy, [with] no
picture, that will make people more comfortable.”

4. This message is brought to you by... your car.
Stacy DeRiso, chief operating officer at media
managing those populations, infrastructures and are willing to give over data for that,” she says. agency PHD USA, says that cars are increas-
services, says Bill Holiber, CEO and president “They just need to know that they’re doing it.” ingly becoming effective marketing channels.
of US News & World Report. Yelp, for example, is integrated into connected
“What we’re seeing is a large group of THE FUTURE OF AUTO systems, and companies like Spotify and Pandora
technological companies in different aspects Your car is great. It gets you where you need to go. are starting to customize playlists for what they
working with local government and trying to It’s a little privacy bubble. It has a radio. The only know about a driver.
figure out what they’re going to do to serve downside is that, well, you have to drive it. “Thinking about these as media experiences or
the citizens of those cities,” he says. Smart cit- But not for long! (Maybe!) At CES, Ad Age spoke media platforms for that matter is a new place
ies like Fujisawa in Japan are already tackling to agencies, automakers and tech companies to find we’re going,” she says.
transportation, sewage, water treatment, carbon out where the industry itself is driving us.
emissions and more in new ways. A few takeaways: 5. Agencies and their auto clients are leaning into
1. If you’re not driving the car, you get to do... AI. “If you think about all the different factors
4. Bad day? Your home is there for you. Smart something else. In an autonomous-vehicle fu- that go into buying a car, there’s inventory on
devices already get lots of intimate details about ture, that time we once spent manually weaving the lot, there’s what models are selling, there’s
the products we use and our preferences. Some- through traffic could be spent in much different weather, there’s all sorts of things that are going
day, they’ll likely be able to read the context ways, says James Hodgson, a senior analyst at to influence if we’re going to get somebody into
behind our requests, and offer up suggestions. ABI Research. that dealership,” says Kasha Cacy, US CEO
If you’re stressed, that could mean suggesting “This idea of having millions and millions of UM. “[There are] more variables than frankly
an order of comfort food from the restaurant more cars on the road – it’s not sustainable,” he a human can really keep control over.”
around the corner, or cueing up a playlist of says. Instead, we’ll likely see a fleet of cars to That’s why UM, which counts BMW as a
soothing songs. It could also be a way – perhaps serve passenger needs, whether for mobility, client, is using AI to optimize media buying
a less intrusive one – for brands to interact with retail, mobile office space. Imagine a self-driving and planning. BMW also works with IBM’s
consumers. “Understanding the emotional side workspace car that takes you to your office. marketing-focused cognitive computing system
will hold some interesting nuggets for brands to Rejoice in all that extra work. Lucy to fine tune the correct messaging to the
play with,” says Cindy Gustafson, chief strategy “That’s a really big trend that we’re see- right person when it comes to auto marketing,
officer at Mindshare North America. ing this year,” Hodgson says. You’ll be able to says Gabe Dunn, media communications man-
“repurpose that interior to support different use ager at BMW of North America.
5. Opting in to less privacy. Of course, sharing all cases—mobile living space, space for productiv- “Several years ago, we had a dozen models,
those intimate details with our devices remains ity, even blurring the lines between, say, retail now we have over 100 different variants – so how
a spooky prospect for a lot of people. Privacy and mobile bricks and mortar where you can do we come up with getting the right model to
is top of mind for everyone when it comes to have a marketplace coming to you.” the right person for the right reason?” he asks.
the connected home. “Is it safety; is it performance; is it luxury? Is
So how can devices get to know us without 2. The car is a new remote control for our homes. it a person in a warm weather climate or a cold
being creepy? Gustafson says consumers will Forget about self-driving for now. Your car can weather climate? What’s the weather going to
buy in if they know what they’re getting them- already be a remote control for your house. With be like that weekend? Is it going to rain? Maybe
selves into. “We have seen stat after stat that says auto companies integrating home assistants into we don’t suggest that we take them for a test
people want more personalized experiences and vehicles, smart cars are quickly becoming an drive that weekend in a convertible.”

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