Warner Bros., Intel form self-driving car entertainment pact

Intel is anticipating a world where soon self-driving cars will be a mainstream technology, so it is partnering with Warner Bros. to entertain people while their cars do all the work.

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich used his keynote at the Los Angeles Auto Show to announce the partnership, which will see Intel retrofitting Warner Bros. content to fit with the self-driving car platform Intel is building.

The deal will cover Warner Bros.’ TV shows, films and games. It could also include augmented reality apps that could combine AR content with terrain outside of the moving vehicle.

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“For example, a fan of the superhero Batman could enjoy riding in the Batmobile through the streets of Gotham City, while AR capabilities render the car a literal lens to the outside world, enabling passengers to view advertising and other discovery experiences,” Krzanich wrote in a blog post.

Intel said it’s creating a first-of-its-kind proof-of-concept car to demonstrate what entertainment in the vehicle could look like in the future.

Kathy Winter, VP and GM of the Automated Driving Solutions Division at Intel, said earlier this year that the timeframe for wider adoption of autonomous vehicles is like 2025. She said the technology is already there but other factors—including infrastructure, regulations and consumer confidence—need to catch up.

“While the possibilities of in-cabin entertainment are fun to imagine, the ultimate test for the future of autonomous cars is going to be winning over passengers. The technology will not matter if there are no riders who trust and feel comfortable using it,” Krzanich wrote.