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The Mercedes-Benz 'Cloaking Device'

cold fjord writes "As part of its marketing campaign for the new hydrogen fuel cell powered F-Cell, Mercedes-Benz has equipped one with a cloaking device. They covered one side of an F-Cell with LEDs and used cameras on the other side to capture the view, which is then displayed on the LEDs to effectively remove the vehicle from the line of sight."

34 of 163 comments (clear)

  1. I won't buy it. by rush,overlord,rush! · · Score: 5, Funny

    The insurance must be very high.

    1. Re:I won't buy it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      If you're worried about that, you're not its target audience.

      I'd be lying if I said that I wouldn't be tempted by it if I had the money. If for no other reason than that it'd be hilarious to drive in the city in stealth mode with only my tires clearly visible. Less fun when someone hits me but that happens now and I drive a friggin bright purple car!

  2. All My by NEDHead · · Score: 4, Funny

    Luxury cars are cloaked too - which is why it looks like I drive an old minivan

    1. Re:All My by mjwx · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Luxury cars are cloaked too - which is why it looks like I drive an old minivan

      Bah, I dont need a cloaking device, most drivers act like the cant see my car already.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    2. Re:All My by LanMan04 · · Score: 4, Funny

      http://www.break.com/usercontent/2007/10/Chamelion-XLE-383947

      Spokesman V/O: If you're a luxury car owner, there's something you should know. Luxury sedans are stolen at the rate of four per minute.

      [ show couple walking to curb from restaurant; his car is nowhere to be found ]

      Man: My brand new BMW! I just got this car two days ago!

      [ Spokesman enters foreground ]

      Spokesman: Frightening, isn't it? Suddenly, the idea of buying a car for the cache of a hood ornament seems outdated. In the 90's, you don't need a car to tell the world you're wealthy; you need a car to tell the world you're smart.

      [ show luxury car under wraps, as a breeze sends the cloth flying to reveal a junky-looking vehicle underneath ]

      Spokesman: Introducing the Chameleon XLE for 1993. Finally, a luxury car that doesn't look like a luxury car.

      Inside, the Chameloen XLE has everything you would expect in a luxury sedan of its class. Soft leather seating, a contoured instrument panel, and fine wood. But there's more - much more.

      Authentically distressed fenders give way to a partially padded roof of blistered vinyl. While under the hood, a simulated transmission-fluid drip whispers, "Hey, not worth the trouble." This is craftsmanship no one will steal. GThis is engineering for the inner-city driving experience.

      [ Spokesman places marble at the top of hood, which rolls forward into a hole at the bottom of the hood ]

      Spokesman: Every inch of the Chameleon XLE is a pinnacle of urban design.

      There's attention to detail. Like three mismatched wheel covers, and one exposed rim in school-bus yellow. Standard.

      A broken taillight repaired with duct tape. Standard.

      Retractable antenna. Standard.

      The body of a Pontiac with a driver's-side door from an Oldsmobile Delta '88. All standard.

      A car thief takes one look at this, and keeps right on walking. Of course, it's equipped with an automatic alarm system - but do you really think you'll need it?

      [ Spokesman turns on alarm, which renders the car even more useless ]

      Spokesman: The Chameleon XLE. They might tow it away, but they'll never steal it.

      --
      With the first link, the chain is forged.
    3. Re:All My by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      The problem with that is a truck might help you and your car become even less visible using more mainstream spatial compression methods.

  3. MI6 will cover it by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 2

    sign hear Mr bond

    1. Re:MI6 will cover it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      I'm just going to leave this right here...

    2. Re:MI6 will cover it by cold+fjord · · Score: 4, Funny

      With Labour improved MI6 being all in for diversity, the new James bond is deaf and will sign "hear", you insensitive clod!

      --
      much of left-wing thought is a kind of playing with fire by people who don't even know that fire is hot - George Orwell
    3. Re:MI6 will cover it by squizzar · · Score: 2

      Alright, let's start with the basics. English is a non-inflected Indo-European language derived from dialects of....

    4. Re:MI6 will cover it by jamiesan · · Score: 5, Funny

      No Mr. Bond. I expect you to drive.

  4. I would hack it. by TheInternetGuy · · Score: 4, Funny

    If I had one I would hack it to make it look like a running Alien.

    --
    If my comment didn't sound as good in your head as it did in mine, then I guess we all know who's to blame
    1. Re:I would hack it. by GameboyRMH · · Score: 2

      I'd hack it to make my old Japanese sport compact look like an expensive supercar. Hello ladies! :D

      Specifically I'd make it look like one of those stripped-out track-oriented supercars so that the basic interior and authentic track car smell of burnt rubber, petrochemicals and sweat doesn't seem out of place.

      --
      "When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
  5. Terminology by subreality · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A proper cloaking device isn't just a flat image of the surroundings; it would need to be holographic so it would look right from any angle.

    I would call this "adaptive camouflage", and it's doing a damned good job at that.

  6. Re:But Ociffer... by RightwingNutjob · · Score: 2

    No, I don't see. It's invisible.

  7. Re:But Orifice... by Sneeka2 · · Score: 2

    "I see" said the blind man as he picked up his hammer and saw.

    --
    Bitten Apples are still better than dirty Windows...
  8. Hydrogen centralizes the pollution for remediation by perpenso · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Until our electricity comes from renewable sources hydrogen power is worse than fossil fuels.

    I don't think it is quite that simple. Hydrogen moves the pollution from many mobile sources, cars, to a very small number of non-mobile sources, power generation stations. With all pollution coming from these stations there is the opportunity for remediation, capturing the pollution to prevent its entry into the environment. Doing so is expensive and technically challenging but plausible.

  9. Re:Fugly! by Sneeka2 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I may be wrong, but I'm sensing that you may not particularly like this car.
    That may just be me reading too much between your lines though, I tend to do this sometimes.
    Sorry if I misunderstood you.

    --
    Bitten Apples are still better than dirty Windows...
  10. Zero emission by dutchwhizzman · · Score: 2

    I'd like to see that claim explained please. Is it powered by cold fusion?

    --
    I was promised a flying car. Where is my flying car?
  11. Re:Fugly! by datavirtue · · Score: 2

    Agreed, their small cars are ugly as sin. They are like a Hyundai with a big fat Benz emblem on the front and a cool grill.

    --
    I object to power without constructive purpose. --Spock
  12. Re:Hydrogen centralizes the pollution for remediat by LordLucless · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I don't think it is quite that simple. Hydrogen moves the pollution from many mobile sources, cars, to a very small number of non-mobile sources, power generation stations.

    You know what also does that? Electric cars. And without the extra, extremely inefficient electrolysis step.
    Electric: Dinosaurs -> Electricity -> Vroom
    Fuel Cell: Dinosaurs -> Electricity -> Hydrogen -> Vroom
    Not to mention that either you need to solve for long-term storage and transportation of hydrogen (if you produce it centrally) or produce it in-situ, and lose out on a good chunk of the efficiencies of centralisation you hope to gain.

    Fuel cells (and the "hydrogen economy" in general) are bunk

    --
    Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
  13. Ok, yeah, that's cool, but... by element-o.p. · · Score: 5, Funny

    Ok, yeah, that's cool, but what you really need is an airship covered with light emitting diodes across one side because then you could have...

    ...wait for it...

    ...a LED Zeppelin!

    --
    MCSE? No, sir...I don't do Windows. Yes, I am an idealist. What's your point?
  14. Re:Hydrogen centralizes the pollution for remediat by perpenso · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I don't think it is quite that simple. Hydrogen moves the pollution from many mobile sources, cars, to a very small number of non-mobile sources, power generation stations.

    You know what also does that? Electric cars. And without the extra, extremely inefficient electrolysis step.

    Again, it is not that simple. You forgot about the batteries. Import lithium from distant lands, manufacture batteries, use batteries, recycle/dispose of batteries in the proper manner, by expensive new batteries, ...
    Now ad downtime for charging.

    All electric is not a panacea. It has its own set of issues and requires some technical advances.

    Hydrogen has an advantage in that it reuses existing internal combustion technology. Minor modifications plus greater power output. Its issues are more infrastructure related. Of course all electric will need new infrastructure as well, chargers in parking lots, etc

  15. Excellent Halloween Costume . . . by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 4, Interesting

    1) Attach one tablet to your stomach and one to your back.
    2) Open up a camera chat between them.
    3) Put on a T-shirt with one bloody hole on the front, and one on the back, directly over the tablets.
    4) It looks like someone shot a hole through you!
    5) No profit, but plenty of laughs.

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    1. Re:Excellent Halloween Costume . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

      http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20127676-71/the-bloody-incredible-ipad-halloween-costume/

  16. Re:Hydrogen centralizes the pollution for remediat by Sulphur · · Score: 2

    No, which is why I'd go for the stop-and-swap model. With standardization and large scale adoption, you should be able to get to a point where you drive in, engage the mechanism, and drive out again with a new battery, in around the same timeframe it takes to pump a tankfull now.

    I'm a little short on cash right now, so I'll take half a battery.

  17. Re:Hydrogen centralizes the pollution for remediat by LordLucless · · Score: 2

    Which is why I said "engage the mechanism", not "haul it out, and slot the new one in". Once there's enough cars on the road to justify it, you can do much better than a forklift.

    --
    Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
  18. Re:What's point? by gl4ss · · Score: 4, Insightful

    the point is to get eyeballs on the car, it's an advertisement device.

    --
    world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
  19. lead into my subject lines by schroedingers_hat · · Score: 5, Funny

    yeah, well my posts

  20. Re:It is no good .... by C0vardeAn0nim0 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    russians are testing a thermal camouflage for tanks. it uses infrared cameras to measure the temperature of objects (ground, buildings, trees, etc) surrounding the tanks, then send a command to thermal plates all around the the vehicle to match the measurements. this effectively makes the tank invisible to infrared devices, including night vision goggles.

    imagine an american soldier, after being blasted by that tank saying as he dies: "the goggles, they do nothing!"

    --
    What ? Me, worry ?
  21. stop replying by X0563511 · · Score: 2

    in the subject box! fucking seriously!

    --
    For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
    1. Re:stop replying by NEDHead · · Score: 2

      Actually, I believe that in this use the word 'seriously' is actually an adverb, as it is implied that it refers to an action (verb, in case you have forgotten), and since 'fucking' is used to modify (hence 'modifier') 'seriously', then it too would be an adverb, as generally any modifier of either a verb, adverb, or adjective is called an adverb.

      Hopefully by the time you complete your GED you will have the opportunity to study English grammar.

  22. Re:Better Halloween Costume . . . by alexo · · Score: 2

    Go to party as a floating cock.

    You mean like this one?

  23. Re:Hydrogen centralizes the pollution for remediat by izomiac · · Score: 2

    Living in a city causes a fair bit of damage to one's lungs due to the urban air pollution. I'd love if vehicle exhaust was merely water vapor. Also, I expect a single large, stationary powerplant can have far better pollution controls than thousands of relatively inexpensive and mobile vehicles. Furthermore, a powerplant can be located where its pollution will have the least impact on humans and the natural environment.