Safety_Main

If you’re a driver, chances are at some point you’ve been behind a slow-moving truck or semi-trailer, trying to overtake but unable to see if there is traffic coming in the opposite direction. This can be frustrating, but it can also be deadly if you pull around at the wrong moment.

South Korean electronics manufacturer Samsung may have found a solution to this problem with their prototype Safety Truck, however. It uses a wireless camera and outdoor screens to give drivers following the trucks a view around them.

In a setup that could easily be applied to existing vehicles, a wireless camera is mounted on the front of the truck and sends images to four screens mounted on the back. The screens work in all weather and even at night, showing drivers when it is safe to overtake.

A prototype Safety Truck was tested in Argentina, where it is estimated that one person dies in a traffic accident every hour. Many of these accidents occur on one- or two-lane roads when drivers are attempting to overtake slower vehicles.

According to Samsung, the test went well and they are now working with safe-driving NGOs and the Argentinian government to comply with national laws and obtain the necessary permits and approvals to proceed. If the technology does become more commonly used, the company hopes that it will save lives.

While the setup certainly does eliminate the blind spot created by large trucks, concerns have been raised about whether the screens could be distracting and what effect they might have on drivers’ eyes, particularly at night. Also, in terms of financial feasibility, it’s not clear whether transport companies would be willing to foot the bill for the rear-mounted screens, which currently cost several thousand dollars a piece.

Still, it’s an interesting idea that might save some lives while we are all waiting for our self-driving cars to hit the road.

H/T Kinisoku
Image: Samsung