Air carrier Captain reported a ground conflict with a supertug requiring the Captain to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision. The Captain suggested better training for tug drivers is needed to avoid similar events from occurring.

Narrative

After pushback from Gate XXX tail west for Spot XX; we taxied eastbound on the XXX lane for a right turn onto the YYY taxi-lane for Spot XX. Aircraft was full illuminated. Rolling out of the turn southbound on the YYY lane I noticed a weird shadow in front of the aircraft in the glow of the taxi light. I slammed on the brakes and then to my left I saw a supertug come out from under my aircraft. I called Ramp Tower to report it and they asked if we got an asset number and we could not see it in the dark. We did not hit the tug; so after discussion and letting our reaction settle down we elected to continue to ZZZZ. After looking at the nose of the aircraft on post flight in ZZZZ and where the shadow was I estimate that we missed them by about three feet. Cause - Tug operator must have been tracking beside us out of our view and elected to attempt to beat us across the YYY lane. He failed to yield to and aircraft in motion.Suggestions - Tug drivers need more training on aircraft operations. The performance capabilities; stopping and starting; as well as the dangers of operating near aircraft in motion. Last night that tug driver came very close to loosing his/her life over impatience on their part and his/her lack of knowledge about traveling in an aircraft's blind spot. They need to assume we cannot see them and act accordingly. Knowledge of our procedures i.e.; during the launch when an aircraft is operating on a taxiway that runs east and west they need to assume we are going to turn toward the runway when we hit the next intersection and taxi via the shortest route to the runway. I am guessing the driver assumed we were going to go straight since Aircraft X does large over-center turns and was probably shocked when our nose came around and almost ran them over. Knowledge of the geometry of a taxiing aircraft might prevent this in the future.