Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. HOMEPAGE

Samsung's smart windshield concept seems cool but potentially dangerous

Last month, Samsung showed off a concept to improve highway safety. It involved mounting massive displays to the back of trucks to let drivers see what’s in front of those vehicles (with the help of some front-facing cameras).

Though the project addressed some safety issues, like the concept of providing better visibility for trucks on narrow highways, we still felt like a giant LED screen would contribute to distracted driving, which the CDC says accounts for roughly eight deaths and over a thousand injuries every single day.

That brings us to Samsung’s latest concept: A smart windshield for motorcycles and scooters.

The idea here is that Samsung wants all bike and scooter drivers to keep their hands on the handlebars at all times, so it’s created a windshield contraption that allows you to plug in your smartphone and use your apps hands-free, so you can answer calls and use GPS using the windshield display rather than your phone.

Of course, seeing information on a windshield is probably safer than taking out your phone while riding a motorcycle down a highway. But this only reduces possible distractions, it doesn’t negate them.

According to 2007 data from the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, people on motorcycles are 35 times more likely to die in crashes than people riding in cars. So people riding on two wheels don’t need any more distractions; it’s dangerous enough to consider pulling out your phone, but seeing animations for texts, emails, and GPS pull up on your windshield is probably still somewhat distracting.

Advertisement

Distracted driving is even an issue for car infotainment systems like Android Auto or Apple CarPlay. Though both platforms are all about forcing people to stop using their phones and instead access those apps through the car's built-in tech like touchscreen dashboards, they can still be a distraction if you're futzing with those controls instead of focusing on the road. Samsung's Smart Windshield is similar to these platforms, and as such, it has the similar potential to be distracting for drivers.

Thankfully, this video is only a concept. But if Samsung ever makes the smart windshield a reality, let’s hope it considers more ways to be less distracting to drivers. Samsung was not immediately available for comment.

You can check out Samsung's full video for the smart windshield below.

Advertisement
Samsung Transportation
Advertisement
Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification.

Jump to

  1. Main content
  2. Search
  3. Account