Volkswagen ad shocks moviegoers with virtual car accident

Canada AM: Volkswagen ad sends jolting message Volkswagen gave moviegoers a jolt when it screened an interactive PSA on the dangers of driving and texting at a movie theatre in Hong Kong.

Moviegoers in Hong Kong were shocked when their pre-show activities caused a virtual car accident, courtesy of Volkswagen.

Customers at the MCL Cinema, there to watch a short film, were completely unaware that they were to be part of the PSA. Sitting in the theatre with their popcorn, they watched the screen as a person got in his or her car and started the engine.

The entire advertisement was filmed from the driver’s point of view, allowing people to just see the steering wheel and the road in front of them.

Behind the screen, someone using a location-based broadcaster sent texts to every member of the audience. As they took their phones out of their pockets or bags to check their messages, the car on screen abruptly swerves into a tree.

The horn blares and the windshield is cracked.

The audience gasps and stops what they are doing, staring at the screen in silence.

A message comes up on screen: “Mobile use is now the leading cause of death behind the wheel. A reminder to keep your eyes on the road.”

The car company’s interactive PSA is called “Eyes on the Road,” and is meant to show the dangers of driving and texting. It has already amassed over 11 million views on YouTube.

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of traffic fatalities in Canada, with 78 deaths in Ontario alone in 2013.