Motor Mouth

Brave new whirl of marketing

The promise of 'mobility as a service' as a pathway to a car-lite society is an illusion

"Lord Vader will be pleased, my mechanical friend." PHOTO: HYUNDAI/YOUTUBE
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South Korean automotive giant Hyundai released a slick video to accompany a groundbreaking ceremony of its electric car plant in Jurong this week.

It gives a peek into the manufacturer's future plans, which - as the clip shows - include passenger drones, personalised transportation and an assembly line staffed by white-coated Caucasians and robots with perfect diction.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 17, 2020, with the headline Brave new whirl of marketing. Subscribe