SAN FRANCISCO -- Samsung is working on a technology to let people see through giant trucks on the road. The Safety Truck prototype mounts a wireless camera on the front of the vehicle and livestreams the view onto a giant wall of four video screens on the back. If you're stuck behind a large truck, you'll have a clear, real-time view of oncoming traffic. You can also see any obstacles or traffic that might otherwise catch you off guard.
Passing trucks is tricky, particularly on two-lane roads where the maneuver requires quickly dodging oncoming traffic. Samsung thinks this technology can save lives by reducing accidents.
This is not the first time someone has attempted to make "transparent" cars with cameras. In Japan, researchers used mirrors and cameras to make a Toyota Prius see-through. Jaguar is working on a system that will use cameras to give drivers a 360-degree view of what's outside the car, projecting it inside to compensate for blind spots.
You won't see Samsung's high-tech rigs on the streets anytime soon. The project is still in the early prototype phase. Samsung tested it with one truck in Argentina, though it's no longer on the road. Argentina has the fifth highest number of car accidents in the world, according to Samsung's post on the project, so it's a natural place so develop the technology.
Now, the South Korean electronics giant is going to work with NGOs and governments to make sure the technology is properly regulated.
