Intel and Warner Brothers Teamed Up at CES to Show What Entertainment Would Look Like in a Self-Driving Car

With autonomous cars on their way to becoming a widespread reality, companies are starting to think about how they can monetize the extra time and space that a robot in the driver's seat allows passengers. Intel and Warner Brothers proposed a vision for what that media-transportation fusion might look like at this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The tech giant outfitted a BMW X5 SUV with a retractable flat-screen and displays built into the two passenger-side windows that offer a 270-degree theater view of Warner Brothers videos and comic books. While the project is currently in its conceptual phase, Intel sees the revamping the space inside of driverless cars as a big market opportunity in the future. The company commissioned a report last year predicting that mainstream adoption of the technology would result in 250 million more hours per year of free commute time that would otherwise be spent driving, creating a $200 billion market of new in-car applications and content. Intel's demonstration of the concept vehicle took passengers through the entertainment options during a short hypothetical ride-share trip. The ride starts with an identity confirmation through a generic ride-share app, which prompts a welcome message to appear across the display in the side window. [kickout id="1"] Once inside, the face of Batman butler Alfred Pennyworth appears on a long narrow control screen to instruct you how to start the trip and lay out entertainment options, including various Warner Brothers comic book titles and movie trailers. [kickout id="2"] Passengers choose the content they want through a connected mobile app, and a television screen is raised to fill the space between the empty driver seat and the passenger rows. With no rearview mirror or lane-changing glances needed, the space is able be much more immersive than your typical in-car TV. [kickout id="3"] [kickout id="4"] The comic book reader displays panels across all three screens, and the sample video—a trailer for Aquaman—was edited to fit the 270-degree view. A prompt at the end of the preview offers passengers the option of buying tickets to see the movie in theaters, serving as an example of how e-commerce and advertising will be woven into the consumer experience. [kickout id="5"] At any time during the imagined ride, a message might interrupt your experience with a route change option or an unexpected traffic alert. Intel isn't stopping at entertainment experiences. The company imagines the vehicles of the future hosting a whole slew of consumer activities ranging from on-board beauty salons and fast-casual dining to mobile healthcare clinics and pod hotels, according to a recent report the company commissioned. “The emergence of autonomous vehicles portends a major shift in how people use their time," said Marcie Miller, Intel's head of automative driving marketing, said in a statement. "The concept car shows how cars will become a new kind of 'space.'”