"Spy shots" are a staple of the auto-enthusiast world. Photographers have made careers of hiding out around the automakers' facilities to nab a photo of a new vehicle.
But the advent of the smartphone has brought a bunch of new, non-pro spies into the game.
So the automakers have pushed back. Ford, for example, has developed effective camouflage to hide their designs from spy photographers or cell phone cameras — and the Blue Oval just released a video explaining how it works.
Design is an essential component of attracting sales for car makers, which is why they must carefully hide new products until their official release.
“The work we’re doing is crucial to Ford staying competitive in a constantly evolving industry,” said John LaQue of Ford's prototype division.
“When we make it to a reveal without a photo surfacing of a non-camouflaged car, we have all done our jobs.”
That work includes developing camouflage patterns that hide a vehicle's shape.
Workers then apply the pattern with a vinyl wrap ...
... while other features, like the grille or headlights, are covered in mesh.
Ford also uses fake body panels to change a car's shape.
The goal here is to hide the car's lines ...
... so that it's hard to tell what it will actually look like.
... and (hopefully) keep their work off of the internet for as long as possible!