| Volkswagen of America, Inc. has just received | | | | lined with solar panels). |
| recognition from The Communicator Awards | | | | Vickie Chiang, an engineer at ERL, who also |
| 2007 Print Media Competition for its U.S. media | | | | served as Volkswagen's spokesperson at the |
| launch of the Volkswagen Chameleon concept | | | | media introduction said that they are proud of the |
| vehicle. | | | | award because a lot of talented people put |
| The media launch of the VW Chameleon was held | | | | considerable time and effort into developing the |
| in concert with the start of the 2006 | | | | vehicle. "I remember the journalists were quite |
| Convergence electronics show in Detroit. Because | | | | intrigued with how we were able to successfully |
| of the amount of positive coverage in the local, | | | | marry 21st century technology with a 40-year-old |
| automotive and business press, it earned an | | | | Microbus. It didn't take long for the reporters to |
| Award of Distinction in the contest's Publicity | | | | pick up on the inherent 'coolness' factor |
| Campaign category. | | | | surrounding the vehicle." |
| The Chameleon, a retrofitted 1964 Volkswagen | | | | The press debut was held in the Volkswagen of |
| Deluxe Microbus, was conceived at Volkswagen's | | | | America Collection, at their Auburn Hills |
| Electronics Research Lab (ERL) in Palo Alto, Calif. | | | | headquarters. The event was co-hosted by |
| The goal of ERL was to preserve the classic look | | | | lighting supplier OSRAM, who provided |
| of the iconic Microbus, while enhancing it with the | | | | state-of-the-art, light emitting diodes (LED) |
| latest advancements in audio, speech, sensors, | | | | technology to the vehicle's interior and exterior |
| displays, navigation, lighting, batteries and solar | | | | systems, including the headlamps and other VW |
| cells (surfboards atop of the vehicle were actually | | | | parts. |