It is a shocking demonstration of just how distracting a text message can be.

Hong Kong cinemagoers were shown an ad with someone driving through a forest.

However, midway through, they were sent a text message - and when they checked their handset, the on screen car careered of the road and crashed, leaving them shocked and stunned.

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Cinema goers in Hong Kong were initially shown a calming advert of someone driving through a forest as part of the shocking safety ad

As the ad progressed, a mass text message programme was used to simultaneously send a text to audience members

HOW THEY DID IT The movie theater was equipped with a location-based broadcaster that could send a mass text to everyone in the room at once.

A special short film aired before the feature showing the ad. At the right time, operators sent the text so that everyone's phone went off. As they look down, the crash happens, taking them by surprise. All the while, film cameras capture their reaction.



The ad, which was shown as a trailer to a feature film at the MCL Cinema in Hong Kong, shows a point-of-view account of a person getting into their car and setting off on a drive.

The movie theater was equipped with a location-based broadcaster that could send a mass text to everyone in the room at once.



At the same time, a special short film aired before the feature showing the ad.

The stunt has already become a huge hit on YouTube, with almost 190,000 views.



It was created by Ogilvy Beijing.

The ad comes after engineers at Volkswagen revealed what they claim is the world’s most fuel efficient production car, which can do a staggering 313 miles per gallon.



The Volkswagen XL1 ‘super efficient vehicle’ features new construction techniques, an innovative futuristic-looking body and hybrid drive-train to dramatically increase fuel economy.

The edgy design is intended to reduce drag and it features ‘scissor doors’ which were famously featured in the DeLorean DMC-12, used in the Back to the Future films.



Once the text was sent, cinema goers could not help themselves from checking their messages at the same time

As they checked, the car suddenly careered off the mountain track, resulting in a huge crash which left patrons stunned and shocked.

To achieve the target fuel consumption figure the XL1 was aerodynamically optimised, adopting a classic ‘tear drop’ shape and using innovations such as removing traditional wing mirrors and replacing them with small cameras called e-Mirrors, which transmit exterior images to interior displays.



Volkswagen’s car measures almost four metres long and 1.7metres wide, making it similar in size to the VW Polo, yet it is just 1.2metres tall, making it a similar height to a Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder.



It is powered by a compact 800 cc two-cylinder diesel engine and together with the 20kW electric motor, it car can travel over 600 miles on a single tank of fuel.

Engineers at Volkswagen have made what they claim is the world's most fuel efficient production car, which can do a staggering 313 miles per gallon

The two-seat diesel-electric hybrid car emits 24 g/km of carbon dioxide, which the German auto manufacturer says sets a new benchmark for vehicle efficiency.

The car's fuel efficiency of 313 miles per gallon compares favourably with Toyota's Prius, which typically does 44mpg in city driving conditions and Ford's Fiesta, which does 31mpg on average.



In theory, it could be driven from the centre of London to the outskirts of Edinburgh in a straight line, using just one gallon of fuel.



The XL1 was designed from scratch and is lightweight as some steel components, including the chassis, have been replaced by carbon fibre so that the car weighs in at just 795kg.



The Volkswagen XL1 'super efficient vehicle' features new construction techniques, an innovative futuristic-looking body and hybrid drive-train to dramatically increase fuel economy