NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - Want a car that will get you noticed? How about one that glows in the dark?

Ford's new concept vehicle, called GloCar, uses LED lights to change body panel colors, intensity and frequency. The car currently is on display at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York City as part of the National Design Triennnial: Inside Design Now. The museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution.

Ford's GloCar concept vehicle

Built last year, the GloCar is clad in injection-moulded translucent plastic panels with the LED lights that respond to safety conditions or user preferences.

Ford said the car is designed to be safer and more fun, and drivers can make it either stand out or blend in to its background.

"The soft glowing panels serve as a safety feature to make you very visible at night," said Laurens van den Acker, chief designer at Ford's Brand Imaging Group. "The rear panel doubles as a brake light, and the side panels as blinkers. When somebody comes too close, the panels increase in intensity, signaling the driver to keep a distance," he added.

GloCars imagined in Paris traffic

GloCar was built around a lightweight aluminum space frame with aluminum extrusions and castings. It is powered by hydrogen fuel cell technology, the company said.

Ford said the car can be seen from all angles, and among the most important considerations for drivers were safety and sustainability. The company said 60 percent of automobile accidents happen at night, so being seen is key to avoiding them.

The use of plastic panels also would simplify the manufacturing process and reduce the need for paint, thereby reducing air pollution, Ford said.

"Imagine hundreds of GloCars brightening up a city," said van den Acker. "It shows a future where cars can become more intelligent and optimistic."