Tesla rolled out the Autopilot update Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control in April this year so, not surprisingly, not everything works as it should.
It’s a feature, not a flaw. If your Tesla Autopilot has you stop at a Burger King joint, it’s not because the tech is malfunctioning, but because your car is smarter than you think and already knows what you want.
That’s the premise of a new ad for the fast food restaurant, which uses a May video showing an instance of Autopilot malfunction on Model 3, where the car mistakes the Burger King sign for a Stop sign, and brakes until it comes to a full stop. The idea that AI would have anyone eat junk food, let alone read your mind, is silly, of course. But it’s also marketing gold.
“Smart cars are smart enough to brake for a whopper,” the ad says. “Artificial intelligence knows what you crave.”
The ad, which ran for only one day (June 23) and only in the United States, promised free whoopers to all smart car drivers who showed up at a Burger King joint and shared photographic evidence of it on social media, along with a couple of choice hashtags. The campaign didn’t specifically call out Tesla, but since it was the only one with Autopilot and the new Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control tech, it was a given.
While many commented that they found it hilarious only rich people (i.e. folks who could afford a Tesla) could get free burgers and others said they wouldn’t eat at Burger King if they were paid to, the campaign did get plenty of kudos on social media. It’s not very often that you come across an example of smart marketing like this, many said. As a result, drivers from the U.S. rushed to get their free whoopers and, by all accounts, it seems like they got their codes in the DMs, like promised.
looks like AI even knows what you’re in the mood for.
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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