Volkswagen Side Assist

Volkswagen have launched a new range of technology called the VW Side Assist. It has been designed to take the strain off the driver when changing lanes by complementing both the exterior mirrors and the driver's method of glancing over the shoulder.

The Side Assist uses two radar systems placed at the rear of the vehicle to warn the driver of danger. The system scans up to 50 meters behind the vehicle and the blind spot either side of the vehicle. It is activated by pressing a button and will only work at speeds above 60 km/h.

Side Assist then signals the driver if any vehicle is within the critical zone for a lane change. The Side Assist will notify the driver regardless of whether a lane change is in progress or not. When a vehicle is in the critical zone the system alerts the driver by switching on a light on the exterior mirror on the side that hosts the potential danger. If the driver continues to indicate despite the light having switched on, the light then becomes brighter and begins to flash rapidly so as to draw further attention to the potential danger.

To gain awareness, Volkswagen launched a humorous print campaign using many well-known doomed events such as Hannibal Lecter, the Trojan Horse and Bonnie and Clyde. The print ad simply states "see things before they get dangerous", implying that the situation could have worked out differently if these people had seen the danger before it occurred. This is to mirror the Side Assist which will allow for fewer accidents on the roads through allowing drivers to see the dangers before they happen.

Volkswagen combined the print advertisements with a viral campaign using YouTube's already existing frame-by-frame technology. When watching the video the public is probed by a man standing on the pavement to place their mouse on a specific point of the YouTube play bar. A frame then pops up illustrating a second man falling from the sky, the man on the pavement seeing this then steps to the side to avoid the impending danger. This clever use of YouTube's resources allows Volkswagen to display, in an innovative and budget friendly way, the principal behind Side Assist.

On a personal note, I feel that while the campaign is very clever and draws attention to the new product, it neglects to fully explain how the technology works. In a cluttered market, is it enough for Volkswagen to use innovative advertisements to grasp the target audiences attention? Or must there be a factual component to the advertisement, highlighting how the technology functions?