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Car manufacturer Nissan has launched the ‘Nismo’ – a smartwatch that connects drivers with their cars.
The Nismo keeps track of the driver’s heart rate and temperature, as well as other data, giving warnings if the tracked heart rate exceeds a certain limit.
Information from the vehicle shown on the watch includes fuel consumption and average speeds. The car can also send notifications customised for the driver, such as traffic alerts and scheduled maintenance.
The watch is designed to operate in tandem with Nissan’s Nismo range of cars, such as the Juke Nismo. A smartphone app connects the watch to the car, using Bluetooth Low Energy.
Outside of the car, the watch links into social networks such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The Nismo’s ‘Social Speed’ app provides social media alerts, as well as tracking social interaction and praising the wearer for “tweeting like a pro”.
The Nismo will be available in black, white and “flagship red and black”, with two buttons for control. A micro USB port charges the watch’s battery, which is said to last for up to a week.
Nissan’s announcement of the Nismo comes ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show, which will run from September 10th to September 22nd.
Electronics giant Samsung recently announced its long-rumoured smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, which links to the Galaxy line of smartphones. Like the Nismo, the Gear focuses on user health and social networking.
"Connectivity is the new battleground for car manufacturers," Chas Hallett, editor-in-chief of What Car?, told the BBC.
"In-car internet is coming and now with consumer electronics focusing on watch-based connections, Nissan is getting ahead of the game and joining the two together very cleverly."
