When we set-up Influence over a decade ago, two of our founding clients were an Electric Vehicle (EV) company and a Lithium-ion battery company. Why? Because even though it was by no means clear back then, we could see that these were key technologies for the future of the automotive industry as it transitioned away from internal combustion engines.
At the same time, manufacturers sought to make vehicles that were also smarter, and safer: since human error plays a part in the majority of crashes, highly-automated and autonomous vehicles could significantly improve safety by avoiding the mistakes made by human drivers. Autonomous vehicles can also reduce pollution, reduce congestion and improve road network capacity by their intelligent regulation of speed and traffic flow.
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) were key to this development, with the vision to progress from the-then state-of-the-art technologies such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Automatic Emergency Braking through to vehicles which could drive themselves. Achieving this would require a combination of next-generation sensors including LiDAR together with the smart algorithms, artificial intelligence and onboard- and cloud-enabled computing power that could fuse and process the massive amounts of data the sensors would provide, and then make safe, intelligent decisions.
As a start-up PR and Communications Agency, we wished to specialise and become experts with these technologies, and also the specific nuances of how to brand, launch, promote and and protect the reputations of our clients through the delivery of effective PR strategies. Our success with these projects further enhanced our credentials as the leading Autonomous Vehicle and Automotive Data PR Agency in an increasingly crowded and competitive sector.
Already today the most advanced ADAS systems use a suite of sensors including Lidar, radar, cameras and ultrasonics to deliver a robust, 360-degree view of the vehicle’s environment, enabling them to achieve SAE Level 3 autonomous capability.
Autonomous vehicles capable of Level 4 – which means they can operate without a driver under certain conditions – are already being developed and tested on public roads but it will be some years before they enter full production: some OEMs expect to achieve this sometime around the middle of this decade, others are more cautious and predict 2030 at the earliest. Further advances in technology – sensors, processors and software – are needed first, as is more accurate map data and smart infrastructure on road networks.
We work with the technology companies, suppliers and vehicle manufacturers who are leading these developments and who are not only bringing autonomous vehicles closer to production but are also working on the step-changes in capability needed to reach Level 5.
Our founding principle and core strength as a consultancy was to promote the technologies that are driving change in the future of mobility and the people behind the stories. Our award-winning team ensures that influential press highlight our clients’ expertise in sensor technology, software development, data fusion, artificial intelligence, and system-level and vehicle-level testing and validation, in the virtual world, around proving grounds, and on public roads.
This abundant flow of information is expertly disseminated to maintain a steady drumbeat of news, which serves as the foundation of a communication and brand-building strategy to reach the right global audience with the correct message.
We work with some of the leading companies working on today’s autonomous vehicles, and the state-of-the-art technologies of tomorrow. We tell their stories, shape their messages, announce partnerships, financing news, technology updates and much more to further awareness and understanding of the complexities, challenges and far-reaching benefits of autonomous vehicles – and how their businesses are leading those developments – to life in the media.
Just as e-mobility has crossed from automotive into other transport sectors, we’ve done the same. Today, we partner with the companies who are developing autonomous capability to public transport networks, including buses and next-generation mass-transit systems including Hyperloop. We also work with companies who are creating autonomous vehicles which can load and unload baggage from aircraft. All of these advances will help to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions, improve safety and efficiency, reduce operating costs, and improve the customer experience.
Whether it’s press releases, social media campaigns, targeted media sell-in, thought leadership, LinkedIn support, media training or complete PR and communications strategies, we can help. The relationships we have with the world’s most influential and trusted journalists and titles – across print, online and social – ensures that we can get your stories heard in all the right places.
Compared to other PR agencies in our sector, we are very much at the vanguard of all aspects of e-mobility PR and the technologies that are transforming every sector towards a safer, more efficient, and more sustainable, zero-emissions future.
How can we help you?