Self-Driving Cars Have a New Spokesperson: LeBron James

"The Decision" part II? Time will tell if LeBron James is the right brand to assuage the fear of turning over the car keys to a robot car.

1 minute read

October 9, 2017, 2:00 PM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Miami Heat Parade

EPG_EuroPhotoGraphics / Shutterstock

Andrew J. Hawkins shares news of a new ad campaign from Intel "aimed at building trust in autonomous vehicles."

"The campaign, which features a trepidatious James getting in the backseat of a driverless sedan, according to Hawkins. "It’s the first time self-driving cars have been marketed to the general public, and it’s airing before this technology is even commercially available."

As Hawkins notes, it's important that Intel is paying for the ad campaign rather than the companies such as Waymo (which is reportedly launching a commercial self-driving car service this fall), Uber, or a traditional car company like Ford. Of the many companies looking to make parts and products for self-driving cars, "Intel thinks it is best positioned to overcome consumer apprehension toward driverless cars, and what better way to do that than to make LeBron James the smiling, bearded face of its public effort," writes Hawkins.  

Monday, October 9, 2017 in The Verge

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Interior of Place Versailles mall in Montreal, Canada.

Montreal Mall to Become 6,000 Housing Units

Place Versailles will be transformed into a mixed-use complex over the next 25 years.

May 22, 2025 - CBC

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 28, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Aerial view of homes and businesses destroyed by Altadena wildfire.

Tenant Advocates: Rent Gouging Rampant After LA Wildfires

The Rent Brigade says it's found evidence of thousands of likely instances of rent gouging. In some cases, the landlords accused of exploiting the fires had made campaign donations to those responsible for enforcement.

2 hours ago - Shelterforce Magazine

View of downtown Seattle with construction cranes and cloudy sky as seen from top of Space Needle.

Seattle’s Upzoning Plan is Ambitious, Light on Details

The city passed a ‘bare-bones’ framework to comply with state housing laws that paves the way for more middle housing, but the debate over how and where to build is just getting started.

3 hours ago - The Urbanist

Woman and man in orange safety vests and hard hats doing surveying work at road construction site.

DOJ Seeks to End USDOT Affirmative Action Program

The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program encouraged contracting with minority- and women-owned businesses in the transportation sector, where these groups are vastly underrepresented.

4 hours ago - The Washington Post