Digital driving is one of the mega-trends for the automotive industry. As these features and functions are largely invisible, for the Mercedes-Benz appearance at IAA 2015 a new form of communication was required in order to make a lasting and comprehensive impression on the brand’s visitors.

Only by visualising the invisible could we tell stories such as “How do cars retrieve data and how do they detect their surroundings?” or "How do they use their sensor fields to avoid obstacles and protect people?" And “How does the air stream react to aerodynamics?” So we decided to create an unprecedented augmented reality show; live on-stage. The technical centrepiece was a Spidercam, for which we developed our own in-house tracking system.

The Spidercam silently floated through the air and captured the live atmosphere with audience and presenters, while we overlaid the camera image with generative AR content.

This transformed the Frankfurt Festhalle into a virtual television studio that was constantly changing and visualising the invisible. Virtual stage sets seamlessly integrated into the action on stage, perfectly merging real and digital worlds, creating a unique and unforgettable experience.