Estimates vary on the current size of the autonomous vehicle industry, as do projections on the industry’s future growth. 

But driverless cars are coming and will make a substantial impact on both car culture and roadside billboards, says François de Gaspé Beaubien, chairman & chief coaching officer, Zoom Media and Chairman of the Board, DPAA (Digital Place-Based Advertising Association), which convened its annual conference in New York today. 

“What will people do in autonomous cars? Answer: look at their phones, not billboards,” Beaubien noted in remarks at the conference. 

His advice to roadside billboard owners looking to maximize ROI: sell. 

“I would sell those assets and redeploy to environments where people congregate,” he said. 

He clarified that non-urban roadside billboards will retain value, “but the height of their valuation is now. AI and driverless cars will depreciate the value of non-urban roadside billboards.” 

The good news, Beaubien said, is that digital placed-based boards will gain value going forward. 

AI development, he added, “is in the first inning. The changes we are about to experience will be greater than the industrial revolution...and one of the beneficiaries will be DOOH.” 

DPAA president and CEO Barry Frey, also speaking at the conference, noted that research from Advertiser Perceptions says 88% of DOOH advertisers intend to maintain or increase the advertising expenditures in the space. 

And 38% said their DOOH ROI has increased year over year. Two of the biggest drivers of growth, he said, “are our improved targeting capabilities and our increased audience engagement.”