Samsung ‘Safety Truck’ looks to revolutionise road safety
Tue 16 Jun 2015
Korean technology firm Samsung is developing its latest road safety technology designed to reduce collisions and injuries caused when drivers overtake long vehicles.
The idea was inspired by the high incidence of traffic accidents in Argentina, where Samsung operates a large hauling fleet. According to the company, a person dies in a traffic accident every hour in the country, with 80% of fatalities happening on roads and the majority caused by people attempting to overtake. The situation is also not helped in a country where roads are predominantly single lane only.
The tech giant, in partnership with advertising company Leo Burnett and Argentinian tech group Ingematica, has now created what it has dubbed the ‘Safety Truck.’ The smart technology uses a digital display on the rear loading doors of the long vehicle to give drivers behind it a clear view of the road ahead, making it easier for them to tell if there are any oncoming cars.
Cameras are installed on the front bumper of the lorry which are able to pass a wireless feed of real-time footage to four outdoor screens mounted on the back of the vehicle. The live film plays continuously as the lorry moves along the road. The cameras also have a night vision setting to help drivers manoeuvre in the dark.
The Safety Truck will also be able to reduce the risk of accidents caused by lorries suddenly applying their breaks, due to accidents ahead of them or animals crossing the road.
The next stage for the Safety Truck team will be to carry out a number of tests to make sure that the technology meets the requirements outlined by national road regulations, and to obtain the necessary permits.
Although the ‘Safety Truck’ is for now a showcase prototype rather than an approved solution to the problem, Samsung hopes that with the falling price of hardware the technology will be added to future fleets and help save lives over the course of the next few years.
