September 10, 2013
Nissan says the watch will be the first in an ongoing line of wearable devices for drivers
Image Gallery (3 images)The smartwatch trend has certainly taken off recently with new wrist-worn tech announced by the likes of Samsung, Sony, and ... Nissan? Yes, the automobile company is getting in on the action with a concept for a watch designed exclusively for its Nismo brand of high-performance cars. Unlike most other smartwatches that just sync to a person's mobile phone, the planned Nismo Watch will also connect to a sports car to provide data on its performance in real-time.
Unveiled on the eve of the Frankfurt Motor Show, Nissan says the watch will be the first in an ongoing line of wearable devices for drivers. The Nismo smartwatch snaps together around the wearer's wrist and is designed to be quickly checked while their hands are on the wheel. On a full charge, the built-in lithium battery provides over seven days worth of power and can be recharged through a micro-USB port. A smartphone app connects to the car and uses Bluetooth Low Energy to relay any info on it to the watch, which a person can cycle through using two buttons on the side.
Through the Nismo Watch, users will be able to check their average speed, top speed, and fuel efficiency, amongst other stats. It will also keep a log of all this data to compare with current info or share with friends online. If the app detects that the car is due for some maintenance, the watch will display a warning message to let the driver know. Additionally, the Nismo Watch will show an alert when users receive a message through text, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram, along with updates on the weather and time.
The Nismo Watch is also equipped with a heart rate monitor that tracks the wearer's pulse and compares it to their current speed, providing similar biometric technology to the kind used by race car drivers. Nissan hopes this will help customers see not just how their car is performing, but also how well they're performing while driving it.
One other feature that makes the Nismo stand out a bit more from the smartwatch pack is a messaging system that offer various tips based on the information it receives. Depending on the weather forecast, it might advise you to be aware of ice on the road, or if it detects a high pulse rate, it could warn you to slow down.
Nissan designed the watch to resemble the "O" in the Nismo logo with the aim of conveying the same cutting-edge sensibilities as its performance cars and will produce it in black and white colors in addition to the black and red model that's been shown. Even the packaging will be made from the same rubber found on racing tires.
Since this is only a concept at the moment, Nissan hasn't revealed any potential release dates or prices for the Nismo Watch just yet. However, the company has stated it plans to develop more wearable technology for its customers and already has a few specific devices in mind. Future gadgets could involve an ECG (Electrocardiogram) that measures heart rhythms to check for fatigue, an EEG (Electroencephalogram) that monitors brainwaves to detect a driver's concentration, and a skin temperature sensor that also checks a driver's hydration.
In the meantime, check out the video below for Nissan's take on how drivers could interact with the Nismo Watch.
Source: Nissan
Jonathan grew up in Norway, China, and Trinidad before graduating film school and becoming an online writer covering green technology, history and design, as well as contributing to video game news sites like Filefront and 1Up. He currently resides in Texas, where his passions include video games, comics, and boring people who don't want to talk about either of those things. All articles by Jonathan 
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