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It's happened to us all - Stuck behind a slow-going 18-wheeler and itching for the chance to switch lanes, speed up and swoop in front. But on a two-lane road with no room for correction should an oncoming car approach unexpectedly, it's a bit of a gamble. That's why the tech brainiacs at Samsung have developed the "Safety Truck" complete with a "see-thru" rear door. And we here at E3 Spark Plugs are duly impressed.
Okay, so it's not truly transparent. But it sure looks that way from the windshield of the ride directly behind it. The truck is equipped with a camera on the front that displays its footage on four large panels at the rear of the truck. This allows drivers following to clearly see the road ahead, including all on-coming traffic.
"So far Samsung has been able to confirm that the technology works and that this idea can definitely save the lives of many people," Samsung officials wrote in a recent blog on the company's website.
That testing was done in Argentina and officials there hope that the deployment of the new trucks will help to significantly reduce the high number of traffic accidents that happen on two-lane roads, particularly when a passenger-car driver attempts to overtake a big rig. The technology also may help reduce the risk of accidents caused by sudden braking or by drivers attempting to avoid hitting animals that cross the road.
Now that the concept has been proven, Samsung's next step is to work with the Argentinian government and with safe-driving NGOs (non-governmental organizations) to secure the necessary permits and approvals and, of course, to raise the money necessary to build large fleets of Safety Trucks. Ultimately, the technology may go worldwide.
What do you think? Should the US adopt this technology for all large commercial trucks? Post your thoughts on the E3 Spark Plugs Facebook Fan Page.
