Car manufacturer Nissan is the latest to join the smart watch fray with the unveiling of a device – a day ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show – that monitors both car and driver.

Designed specifically for drivers of Nissan Nismo cars, the Nismo Concept Watch monitors the performance and efficiency of the vehicle, as well as capturing the driver’s biometric data using a heart rate monitor.

“Wearable technology is fast becoming the next big thing and we want to take advantage of this innovative technology to make our Nismo Brand more accessible,” said Gareth Dunsmore, Nissan’s marketing communications in Europe.

The Nismo smart watch device ties in with the recent launch of Nismo Lab, a mobile laboratory that features advanced biometric training tools, such as brainwave technology and JukeRide (a performance analysis tool that captures live telematics and biometric data from race cars and ‘Nissan Nismo Athletes’ during races).

Nissan say it is developing other health applications for wearable tech in the future. The three main ones, say the Japanese firm, are: ECG (Electrocardiogram), which measures the intervals of the R-R rhythm of the heart and identifies arly fatigue; EEG (Electroencephalogram) Brainwave, which monitors the drivers’ levels of concentration and emotions (and helps athletes to get ‘into the zone’); and Skin Temperature, used to record core body temperature and hydration levels.

Nissan joins a growing list of tech companies moving into the smart watch space, including Samsung, Qualcomm and Sony. An Apple iWatch has also been rumoured for some time.

According to recent figures from Generator Research, worldwide shipments of smart watches in 2014 will be in the region of 8.9 million units, ramping up to 214 million units by 2018.

The retail value of the smart watch market, projects the research firm, will jump to $62.2 billion (2018) from $2.9 billion (2014).