Safer overtaking promised by device that displays image of the road ahead on the back of the vehicle you're following.

Getting caught on a winding country behind a slow-moving truck could become a thing of the past thanks to this bizarre new invention.

It projects an image of the road ahead on the back of the vehicle in front, effectively allowing the following driver to "see" the road ahead of the vehicle, particularly useful if it's tall and/or wide.

The giant screen, called Transparentius, is the product of Russian design firm, Art Lebedev. It is aimed at giving the motorist behind sufficient confidence to overtake in safety, by relaying images from a camera mounted on the front of the truck.

A spokesman for the firm said: "The Transparentius road view transmitting system would allow drivers to see what's in the blind zone [that masked by the vehicle in front] before switching lanes."

Safety experts, however, aren't so sure. The RAC Foundation believes that the device could end up causing more problems than it solves.

"Drivers could become mesmerised by the screen and blinkered to other things around them – such as the lorry's brake lights – and what's happening in the periphery of their vision," said a spokesman.

What do you think? Is this an innovative road safety device, or a gimmick that could cause confusion and more accidents? Sign in to have your say.

Don't have a logon? Email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for access to the members only area. You will need to provide your IAM membership number.