An Autonomous Vehicle and a Visually Impaired Woman Become Friends on the Road

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, over 5 million people in the U.S. are unable to drive due to a mental or physical condition. According to the American Automobile Association, 73% of Americans do not trust self-driving cars. Hyundai Motor Company’s IONIQ 5 robotaxi has become the first autonomous car to pass the national driving exam, instilling new confidence in a visually impaired woman who yearns for discoveries.

A new film by creative agency Jung von Matt shows how the driverless car takes an official driving exam around Las Vegas—administered by a DMV driving examiner—with the astonishing result of a perfect score.

Pearl Outlaw’s Moving Story

The storyline of the film, directed by Park Pictures’ Daniel Mercadante, features visually impaired World Championship rower Pearl Outlaw and her caregiving mother. Pearl’s condition, Retinitis Pigmentosa, prevents her from obtaining a driver’s licence. Their moving story illustrates how Hyundai’s autonomous driving technology aids Pearl by transforming her daily indoor routine into new discoveries outside her home.

The goal of Hyundai’s new initiative is to change widely held perceptions of autonomous driving technology, which currently suffers from a lack of trust compared with human drivers, and to show how it can benefit people’s daily lives enormously. Pearl’s story underlines Hyundai’s commitment to designing driving solutions that enhance the quality of life for individuals unable to drive independently, empowering them with greater autonomy and mobility.

The Perfect DMV Driving Test

In the film, the Hyundai IONIQ 5 robotaxi navigates an official driving evaluation, autonomously performing manoeuvres under the scrutiny of Kandice Jones, a certified driving examiner with the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles. In her career, she has failed almost 84% of student drivers.

During the test, the IONIQ 5 excelled with precise speed control, lane changes, and manoeuvring. It accurately stopped at stop signs, performed left turns, and reacted swiftly to developing hazards.

To Kandice’s surprise, the vehicle exceeded expectations, achieving a flawless score.

This achievement underscores the robotaxi’s reliability and safety, opening a new era of trust and empowerment that could transform millions of lives. The film highlights how such technology holds particular promise for individuals like Pearl and those with physical or mental limitations who might never take a driving test. Following the examination, Pearl experienced the IONIQ 5 robotaxi firsthand, symbolising enhanced independence through innovation and offering a glimpse into a future where technology broadens horizons for all.

Hyundai’s Vision for 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 campaign,” said Sungwon Jee, Senior Vice President and Global Chief Marketing Officer at Hyundai Motor Company. “We will continue our efforts to raise awareness about our AI-based autonomous driving technology, which is set to provide positive changes to the everyday lives of our customers.”

The IONIQ 5 robotaxi embodies transformative mobility technologies. It results from extensive collaboration between Hyundai Motor Group and autonomous driving developer Motional, spanning years of development and rigorous testing. It achieves consistent performance in various environments thanks to advanced sensors combining LiDAR, radar, and cameras.