Yamaha and Samsung Smart Windshield: the technological evolution of the scooter windshield [PHOTO]

Yamaha – Yamaha and Samsung Smart Windshield – An idea for an “intelligent windshield” was shown at the Samsung District in Milan which signals incoming calls and notifications via a screen, giving the driver the possibility to choose whether to stop and respond.

Smart Windshield comes to life from a need to guarantee greater safety for those traveling on two wheels. THEThe concept introduced at the Samsung District in Milan is a demonstration project of the "first intelligent windshield for scooters". Yamaha Motor Europe - Italian Branch is also a protagonist together with the Italian branch of the technological giant, providing its Tricity model as operational support for the Smart Windshield. Being only a concept, still far from the prototype phase which can anticipate a definitive model, a precise development program for this technology has not been reported at the moment. As already mentioned, the Smart Windshield was designed with those dangerous distractions due to the use of smartphones while driving in mind. An aspect that particularly concerns young people, as reported by ACI/ISTAT data, considering that 25% of them handle the phone while traveling along a road on board a vehicle. A dangerous action for one's own safety and the safety of others. An example was provided by a short film made by the young talents of the "OffiCine - making and cinema" laboratory, focused precisely on the risk of distracted driving, through a chain of events that unfortunately culminate in a dramatic accident. The Smart Windshield system signals via a special screen, large enough and placed in an area that does not obstruct vision, calls, notifications and the most diverse information received on your smartphone. Everything happens through a specific application. The signaling offers the possibility of stopping and answering a possible call or opting for sending an automatic message while continuing the route. The story of the short film made by the guys from "OffiCine - fare e cinema", rewritten on the basis of the new system, would have had a different ending with decidedly lighter colours, as underlined in a new video proposed in the evening.

Therefore, this project within Samsung Launching People took shape from the need to amplify attention on this issue. An idea that involved two talents in particular, the Rally and motocross driver Edo Mossi and the well-known YouTuber Cane Secco, together with the input provided by various users on the web, via the Mixed Talent platform. So the Italian branch of Yamaha Motor Europe was involved, considering the Japanese manufacturer's experience in two-wheeled mobility. An exhilarating and stimulating experience, as underlined by Andrea Colombi, Country Manager Yamaha Motor Europe – Italy Branch, who highlighted how “smart technologies applied to new mobility in favor of safety” are “a direction fully in line with Yamaha's vision". Satisfaction also highlighted by Francesco Cordani, Head of Marcom at Samsung Electronics Italia, who spoke about the importance of the involvement of the so-called "Millennials", the generations of the new millennium, who are directly protagonists in this story of progress. And Yamaha's collaboration was important, given the extensive knowledge that the brand has in the two-wheel sector and with young people. A new story has blossomed and over time, depending on how it evolves, we may see the fruits of it.

The Italian branch of Samsung Electronics, a company that has always been active in outlining the future through revolutionary ideas and technologies, presented the Smart Windshield concept at the Samsung District in Milan, a project born from the digital communication platform Mixed Talents. Smart Windshield is the demo version of the first intelligent windshield for scooters designed to raise awareness among children of the important problem of road safety on two wheels. In fact, 25% of young Italians use their smartphone while driving, generating distractions that put their safety at risk1 (ACI/ISTAT). Endorser of this futuristic project is Yamaha Motor Europe – Italian Branch, which has made available its profound experience in the field of two wheels and in particular Tricity, one of the most innovative products dedicated to urban mobility, as the basis for finalizing the Smart concept Windshield, designed to reduce the rate of road accidents caused by distraction caused by using smartphones while driving. According to the latest ACI/ISTAT data, this phenomenon today affects 25% of the young population (18-24) due to the habit of using one's device on the move which is declared by 24% of young people, a significantly higher average than the 17% of the rest of the Italian population. This trend, unfortunately, has a very negative impact due to the desire of young people to always be connected which, combined with the high rate of use of two-wheeled vehicles - i.e. 8,4% between 14-19 year olds and 4,8% between 20-293, generates a danger that puts the safety of many of them at risk.

The project, which is part of the global communication platform Samsung Launching People, was born from a social need and from the significant collaboration with talents from the world of two wheels – the Rally and motocross driver Edo Mossi and the famous YouTuber Cane Secco – and from the suggestions of users collected via the web through the digital platform Mixed Talent. “We are extremely proud to support the Smart Windshield project and to do so with the scooter that best suits the purpose of this initiative for Yamaha: Tricity. The result of this collaboration sees smart technologies applied to new mobility in favor of safety, a direction fully in line with Yamaha's vision which aims to create products developed to surpass people's expectations and satisfy their different needs, so much so as to become an integral part of their lifestyle.” commented Andrea Colombi, Country Manager Yamaha Motor Europe – Italy Branch. “The decision to promote Mixed Talents in Italy was born precisely to offer those we define as "Millennials" a tangible benefit to their daily lives and contribute, like Samsung, to enhancing the role of innovation." explained Francesco Cordani, Head of Marcom at Samsung Electronics Italia. “In this direction we chose an endorser as important as Yamaha who, with all its experience in the world of two wheels and in the "Millennials" target, could support us in testing the effectiveness of Smart Windshield and raising awareness among all young people about this phenomenon which involves them personally".

Smart Windshield allows drivers, as if it were a second screen, to access the information received on their smartphone thanks to the help of a dedicated App: calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages, navigation, emails and other notifications can be displayed directly on the intelligent windscreen which allows you to choose whether to stop to answer or let an automatic reply message start. At the moment, however, a development plan has not yet been defined.