Cab Under Trucks: Why They Never Worked

Cab under trucks are one of the strangest ideas ever explored in commercial vehicle design. At first glance, removing the traditional tractor layout and placing the cab under the trailer looks like a clever way to increase cargo space and improve efficiency. In reality, things turned out very differently. This video explores the full story behind this unusual concept, from early experiments like the Büssing Supercargo Dachlaster to radical projects such as the Strick Cab Under and the futuristic Steinwinter Supercargo 20.40. Each of these machines tried to solve the same problem in different ways, but all of them faced serious limitations. Some failed because of technical issues. Others were rejected due to safety concerns. In one case, the concept was effectively made obsolete by changes in transport laws. Despite all of this, the idea never completely disappeared. In certain niche applications, similar layouts are still used today, and with the rise of autonomous technology, the concept may even return in a new form. This is not just a story about unusual trucks. It is a story about how engineering ideas can fail, not because they are completely wrong, but because the world around them is not ready.