The automotive component maker Toyota Motor has a large stake in has created technology that uses light in vehicle body design.

Toyoda Gosei developed the millimeter wave light-transmission innovation, which allows light to shine through painted plastic body material from underneath, displaying patterns or sign text. 

A concept image it released on its website shows the company’s TG logo lighted on a bumper, along with a lighted design of vertical bars of alternating lengths.

The company said past attempts at such lighting design involved punching holes in the vehicle body, diminishing its appearance when the lights were turned off. Its new innovation instead employs metallic paint formula and membrane thickness changes that it says don’t degrade body panel appearance. 

Toyota Motor is the biggest automaker in the world and holds a nearly 50% stake in Toyoda Gosei. 

“These embellishing technologies will contribute to attractive vehicle design,” the company said of the innovation. It didn’t indicate when the feature might be used in production vehicles.

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