Nissan Smartwatch Tracks Vehicle, Driver Health

Nissan has become the latest firm to unveil a 'smartwatch'. In this case, the unique selling point is that the device can track your health, as well as the health of your car.

Smartwatches, which use mobile Internet connections to power special features, appear to be one of this year's big tech tends.

Samsung has already revealed a smartwatch called 'Galaxy Gear,' while Apple is reportedly working on a similar device.

Nissan Watch Can Track Your Health

Nissan's proposed 'Nismo' smartwatch has two main sets of features. The first is health-based, and uses the watch and strap to measure and track heart rate and skin temperature.

The idea is that, because people tend to wear a watch all the time, Nismo allows a user to constantly monitor their health stats.

The Nismo smartwatch can also connect wirelessly to Nissan vehicles' on-board computers. Adapting technology from the firm's racing cars, the watch will be able to record and track average speeds and calculate fuel consumption.

Although some of the planned features (such as measuring G-force when accelerating) will be of little use to the average driver, others may be more practical.

For example, the watch can alert a driver when their car needs some form of maintenance. (Source: wired.com)

Remote Start, Heating Features Coming Soon

Nissan also has plans to add new features to the Nismo smartwatch system. For example, the watch may be able to monitor the temperature outside the car and let a user switch on the heat without having to leave the house.

The health tools may also be getting an upgrade down the road. Nissan says it's working to develop sensors that allow the watch to detect signs of driver fatigue. The Nismo can then warn the driver about the dangers of driving in that state and encourage them to take a rest. (Source: bbc.co.uk)

Right now Nissan's Nismo smartwatch remains in prototype form. If it's to be released on a wide scale, Nissan will have to take account of various state and national laws designed to keep drivers from being distracted while behind the wheel.