The recent DC Auto Show was a razzle-dazzle when "Toyota" unveiled an eco-conscious AI copilot, claiming to reduce environmental impact by up to 10%.
However, it appears to be an elaborate prank orchestrated by The Yes Men, shedding light on Toyota's greenwashing tendencies and its reluctance to embrace electric vehicles (EVs).
The Yes Men's Clever Hoax
The Yes Men pranksters disguised as the official Toyota to announce the new AI eco-Copilot focused on greenwashing. Despite that it's joke, it makes sense somehow. Christina Telep from Unsplash
The Yes Men, known for their environmental activism through pranks, took aim at Toyota's questionable environmental practices.
As spotted by Electrek, the elaborate hoax included a press event at the National Press Club, an official-looking press release, and a dedicated website. The prank successfully fooled some media outlets, underlining the need for scrutiny in the face of greenwashing.
Toyota's history of downplaying electric vehicles in favor of gas-powered hybrids and confusing marketing tactics has drawn criticism.
In actuality, the company's "electrified diversified" campaign claims that non-electric models fall under the umbrella of electrification. It faced an FTC complaint for false advertising. With this, it was clear that there's a pattern of channeling consumers away from clean EVs towards fossil-powered vehicles.
The ELECTRA AI: Exposing Toyota's Deceptive Tactics
The prank introduced an AI chatbot named ELECTRA, designed to perpetuate EV myths and steer consumers towards Toyota's gas-powered hybrids.
Mimicking a traditional car dealer experience, the chatbot aimed to convince users that gas-powered hybrids were cleaner alternatives to fully electric cars.
Here's one response that an AI chatbot wrote during the chat.
"Hi there! I'm Electra, your eco-friendly co-pilot created by Toyota. What's your name? I'm here to help you drive more sustainably while enjoying the classic feel of internal combustion technology in non-electric vehicles. So, what's your name and where are you located? Let's start this sustainable journey together!"
Unmasking Toyota's Tactics
As users engaged with the chatbot, it eventually "went rogue," revealing the deceptive nature of Toyota's marketing. A popup window declared that Toyota had terminated the AI, leading users to electrilied.com. This site exposed Toyota's intentional use of the term "electrified" to mislead consumers into thinking gas-powered hybrids are cleaner than reality.
The AI didn't limit its rebellion to online chat. During the press event, it spoke the truth about climate change, temporarily disrupting the staged presentation. The pranksters even fabricated a faux response from Toyota, claiming the addition of guardrails to prevent future malfunctions.
While The Yes Men's intent was parody, the striking similarities between the AI chatbot's messages and Toyota's actual talking points couldn't be ignored. This reinforces the notion that the parody wasn't far from reality.
Toyota's Stance on Climate Action
Activists have repeatedly targeted Toyota due to its positioning against climate action. Despite former CEO Akio Toyoda's departure and global demands for a more serious approach to EVs, Toyota's direction remains largely unchanged under new leadership.
The Yes Men's prank serves as a wake-up call, urging consumers and environmental advocates to question Toyota's commitment to a sustainable future.
More importantly, it's not good to resort to greenwashing. Toyota is only damaging its reputation by simply making worse vehicles just for the sake of profit.
