Mercedes-Benz's 'invisible' car stunt [w/video]

Mercedes-Benz has crafted a clever publicity stunt in and around Hamburg as part of its campaign to promote its zero-emission B-Class F-Cell car.

The Stuttgart-based carmaker showed off its redesigned hydrogen fuel cell technology by sending out what appears at first glance to be an invisible car, aimed to highlight the automaker's point that the car is 'invisible to the environment'.

Mercedes-Benz recorded reactions from passersby to create a 90-second online viral featuring an explanation of how the effect was created using LED lights and cameras.

Engineers coated one side of the car with LED lights, which effectively created a car-shaped television screen.

On the other side of the car, a video camera transmitz the view to the side featuring the LEDs. Once on the road, this technology makes the side profile of the car appear invisible.

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By Rufus Thompson