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German car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz has conjured up a rather ingenious approach to advertising its new range of hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, and it involves LED (Light-Emitting Diode) technology.

The car, called the F-cell, runs on compressed hydrogen gas making it virtually emission-free. According to Mercedes, a car of this kind; one that is imperceptible to the environment, might also be called 'invisible,' so, making it actually invisible to emphasize this fact seemed like a good marketing strategy.

In order to achieve this seemingly impossible feat, Mercedes utilized a prototype version of optical camouflage that’s been under development by Japanese scientists. The system works on a similar principle to the green screen compositing technology, often known as “chroma key compositing”, a technique for combining two still images or video frames, that’s used in the film industry.

'Curtains' fashioned from low-energy LED lights are draped over the driver side of the vehicle to form a makeshift digital display.

A Canon 5D Mark II camera is attached to the opposite side of the car. As the car moves, the camera films and the footage is transmitted to the LED screen, resulting in an optical effect that makes the car almost, but not completely, invisible.

Of course, to truly appreciate the effect, you need to be standing on the driver side of the vehicle, but this doesn't make the advert any less impressive. The one-of-a-kind vehicle can be ‘seen,' or perhaps more correctly, not seen, driving around the streets of Hamburg where it intermittently winks into view to surprise bemused pedestrians.

Mercedes claims it is in a position to begin producing the eco-friendly vehicle on a mass scale, but at the moment, the cost to the consumer is still prohibitive. Analysts predict that a vehicle of this kind will not become commercially viable until at least the year 2015, especially given the fact that hydrogen refuelling stations are in short supply.

It seems appropriate that a zero-emission car like the F-Cell should be coupled with environmentally-friendly LED technology in order to drum up awareness. Fortunately, energy-efficient LED bulbs are available right now, and for a price that definitely won’t put a strain on your wallet.

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You can also give us a call to find out more about our huge range of LED lighting products on 0116 321 4120, or send us an e-mail to cs@wled.co.uk.