Smartwatches

Nissan's Nismo smartwatch delivers real-time data on a driver's performance

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Nissan says the watch will be the first in an ongoing line of wearable devices for drivers
Nissan says the watch will be the first in an ongoing line of wearable devices for drivers
The packaging will be made from the same rubber found on racing tires to reflect the Nismo brand
The Nismo Watch is also equipped with a heart rate monitor that tracks the wearer's pulse and compares it to their current speed
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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.

The Nismo Watch is also equipped with a heart rate monitor that tracks the wearer's pulse and compares it to their current speed

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.

The packaging will be made from the same rubber found on racing tires to reflect the Nismo brand

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

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9 comments
Facebook User
Much better design than all the others around. Perhaps Samsung should poach Nismo's designers as theirs is truly awful.
MisterH
Really? I think it looks like a prison tag -and if it grasses you up for speeding and your stress levels to all your mates, it acts like one too.
BigGoofyGuy
I think that is really cool. I think it should go beyond concept and be made. It would be a smart watch for drivers.
It would be really nice if it was made for more than just Nissan vehicles.
VoiceofReason
Ummm...not really seeing the useful aspect of the watch. software on a screen that probably already exists in the car is the way I would do it. Why do you need a watch to tell you that if you are DRIVING THE CAR?. I don't get it other than something else I need to purchase and charge.
I bet their is an app for that and maybe cheaper. Sorry, I slammed into a busload of kids, I was checking my latest 0-60 times on my carwatch.
Seth Miesters
Not quite as chunky as some of the other watches.
Sam Sams
I would have thought taking your eye off the road to look at things like how you're performing as a driver is an unnecessary distraction which could cause accidents. Particularly when repeated throughout a journey.
Bob Flint
Beware of the icy roads... it's showing 12C ? What a useless charm braclet for a master twit..
dsiple
Lovely design to completely distract you while you're admiring it at 160kph to check your pulse rate, which is raised because you're looking at your wrist and driving too fast. And yes, all of it's data is also on the dash, save your pulse rate. Bah!
M.A.N.
Beautiful Technology for a "Metro Sexual who is also a Techy". When I worked for MAZDA in the 80s, Test Driver during development wore a heart rate monitor to measure how exciting was the drive. This watch does the same thing, but I wouldn't use it because of the image (looks like a ladies bracelet) and because the information on there will distract me from looking at the road. Besides, what happens when the driver forgets his bracelet at home, or when the bracelet was not charged the day before?
In 2001 I filed a patent for Pervasive Computing and Driver Distraction Mitigation and other functionalities and one of application uses physiology sensors on the steering wheel to collect multiple symptoms, including heart rate and analyze for various conditions. The advantage is that it is always there and you do not need to buy multiple bracelets for everyone in the family. The system also communicates with the phone and stores information on there, or on a portal.
The system is not on sale, so this is not a commercial, but you can take a look at our aftermarket site iQ-Telematics.com for more information.