Will Samsung ‘Safety Truck’ video display improve road safety or not? We’re not so sure
Really not sure what to make of this. I think it’s a great publicity stunt for Samsung but not sure whether it will do anything to improve road safety or not.
Basically it’s a huge video display (or rather four displays) on the back of Samsung trucks which show the driver behind the view in front of the truck.
Unfortunately it’s not designed to screen Chelsea matches on Sky Sports as many people have suggested. Instead the idea is that the driver behind the truck can tell if it’s a good time to overtake or not – here’s hoping there isn’t a delay in the transmission signal, otherwise you could be toast. It’s particularly useful (in theory) on narrow two lane roads where it can be virtually impossible to see around wide HGVs.
The technology involved is actually pretty simple. All it involves is fitting a wireless camera to the front of the truck which then provides live-view imagery to a giant four-screen Samsung display on the back.
The Korean tech firm points out that the system could also help reduce the risk of accidents caused by sudden braking and other erratic driving manoeuvres by the vehicle or vehicles travelling in front.
The so-called Safety Truck is only a concept design at this stage, though the technology is obviously already well established for the idea to become a reality. Indeed, the Korean firm seems serious about moving ahead with implementation of the system, claiming that it’s currently working with various relevant organisations to carry out the required tests to secure government approval.
The video above shows Samsung’s Safety Truck in action in Argentina – a country where on average someone dies every hour in a road crash, with many accidents the result, perhaps not surprisingly, of reckless overtaking.
