The Samsung 'see-through' trucks that have gone viral

fuad lawal

June 25, 2015 9:49 PM

Samsung to show off a truck and trailer unit that shows vehicles behind it the oncoming traffic on a video screen has gone viral and people are buzzing about it on social media.

Tech giants, Samsung recently unveiled the prototype of what it calls the "safety truck", which has a wireless camera installed on the front grille that transmits a video of what's in front to a flat screen attached to the back.

This is intended to help drivers see what's in front of the 18-wheeled truck when they are driving behind it.

The Korean technology giant unveiled the prototype with a promotional YouTube video mid-June. Although the prototype is no longer operational, Samsung said the idea could save lives on roads.

Overtaking trucks can be tricky, particularly on narrow roads where the manoeuvre requires quickly dodging oncoming traffic. The prototype was tested on the roads of Argentina, where two-lane roads are common and traffic accidents are among the leading causes of death.

Samsung is not the first to show off such "see through" technology for vehicles. Keio University in Japan developed a similar prototype for the Toyota Prius that makes the car interior transparent using cameras mounted on the back. That allows the driver to see things outside the car that they normally would not see.

fuad lawal