With the growth of technology to include smart phones and iPads and many other similar forms of technology that seem to never leave our fingertips, it might be said that wristwatches have become almost obseolete, as did pocket watches almost 100 years ago. Most people just wear a watch for looks, as they are already accustomed to checking their phone for the time. But one car manufacturer has a new idea for the wristwatch, that might make them stick around a bit longer.
Mercedes-Benz is attempting to give wristwatches a second purpose by providing a glimpse of one potential technology that enables greater connectivity between the driver and his or her car. The technology is a wristwatch that connects with a car through the internet and provides feedback on vehicle diagnostics and other vehicle-related notifications. We do have apps like this for our smart phones, and even devices that plug into the car itself, but this truly is an imaginative idea.
The watch was developed by Silicon Valley-based Pebble Technology, which Mercedes has formed an alliance with and whose application programming interfaces (APIs) the automaker has early access to. The watch connects with Mercedes’ existing Digital DriveStyle app and serves as a simultaneous transmitter and receiver of information. For example, when they are away from their vehicle, Mercedes drivers who are wearing the watch can review important vehicle information at a glance like fuel level, door-lock status, and vehicle location. When the car is on the road, the watch can alert the driver of real-time hazards through existing Car-2-Car technology, such as accidents, road construction, or stalled vehicles by simply vibrating.
On top of this, drivers can customize the three buttons on the watch to activate their favourite Digital DriveStyle app features like reporting hazards, auto-routing, Siri activation, remote-controlling media, or quickly showing nearby traffic conditions.
Mercedes and its new partner Pebble Technology will present the watch at the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on January 6. We’ll have to keep an eye out for that one!
