SuperTooth Crystal review

You're in the car. You need to use your phone, but you want to do it safely and without breaking the law and accruing a fine. You need a hands-free kit. And as luck would have it, that's exactly what we're reviewing here.

The SuperTooth Crystal is a hands-free kit that's a little bit different to what's gone before - it acts as a speakerphone on your sun visor, and also pairs with your phone's GPS to give you voice directions (similar to theTomTom Hands Free Car Kit), and plays music from your phone. It's svelte, portable and a breeze to install and use.

Is it the perfect companion for the connected driver though? Perfect may be a bit strong, but it's certainly worth considering.

You can pair the SuperTooth Crystal with up to eight phones, although it can only monitor two phones at once - which is more than enough for practical uses.The SuperTooth Crystal itself is remarkably easy to pair with your phone over Bluetooth - simply hold the power button down while the device is off and it'll enter pairing mode. Enter the default code of 0000 if prompted, and you're good to go.

The only thing that's easier that pairing the device is installing it in your car. Inside the pack you'll find a small metal clip that hooks over the edge of your sun visor. Once in place the SuperTooth Crystal attaches firmly using the magnet on the back of the speaker unit, and you're done.

If you need your sun visor down, then you can simply slip the speaker around to the other side.

The benefit of this location, beyond its obvious ease of installation, is the fact that the unit is near your head. That's great for when you're actually using it as a hands-free kit, since it picks up your voice clearly and the person you're talking to comes out clear as well.

Answering calls is straightforward, via a single button push, and doesn't require you to take your eyes off the road. And it's the same for volume controls.

On the plus side, the SuperTooth Crystal does hold its charge well (offering standby for 1,000 hours of use and talk time of 20 hours). Plus you're more likely to have the charger connected to your phone, so overall we won't knock it for that.We do have a couple of issues with the design, though. The first is pointed at the power cable, which is a standard USB jack that won't reach in the vast majority of cars.

We're a little less forgiving when it comes to the quality of the speaker, though. For voice calls and GPS directions it's fine, but you can't say the same when it comes to playing back music.

It's distorted, muddy and, well, pretty rubbish to listen to. Which detracts from this being a single device that covers all your in-car hands-free needs.

Verdict

Having said that, if all you need from your hands-free kit is the ability to talk to people while driving, then there's a lot to recommend the SuperTooth Crystal. There are cheaper options available than this, which is priced at £49.99//AU$79/US$69, but this does at least feel like a quality piece of kit.

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Ford CEO: driverless cars nowhere near ready yet

The driverless car is still a long way from becoming a reality and even when it arrives, it won't be quite what you think or what you want it to be.

That's the opinion of Ford CEO Alan Mulally who met with TechRadar in Berlin this week.

Mulally is widely credited with having saved Ford from financial ruin when he took over as CEO seven years ago, and has been touted as a possible successor to Steve Ballmer at Microsoft.

Ballmer himself said of Mulally: "He understands the fundamentals of business success as well as any business leader I know."

Mulally is hugely excited about the prospects for the driverless car, which have been the fodder of science fiction for over 50 years.

Cars get smarter every day

And technological advances in the past few years have brought the idea back into the public consciousness as a viable product.

Ford cars already have the ability to detect danger and autonomously perform emergency stops regardless of what the driver is doing. The cars can also park themselves, and they can even listen to your commands and understand what you're saying.

But the one thing they can't do is drive you to work. And even when they do eventually gain this functionality, Mulally says you won't be able to kick back and have a nap because you never know when you'll have to take control of the wheel.

"The sensor set now and all the GPS data is getting to a place where there is a lot of capability to be able to make improvements in safety. The most important thing is that you can do that technically and you can anticipate all the different situations, but we're not quite there yet.

"We can't detect snow, for example. Or if you have a construction site and we don't know about that, it's not on your navigation. So one obstacle is technical.

"But I think a big thing is going to be affordability. These driverless vehicles that you see are $600,000, $700,000 vehicles. So this is about economics too.

"Another really big issue is going to be the ultimate responsibility for the car. Because now we are responsible for the car.

The smartest car?



Ford's new S-Max concept car includes a heart-rate monitor and the ability to track your blood sugar levels. The driver's seat gets an ECG that logs heart rates and patterns as well as picking up on any acute heart problems. It can even call for medical help and trigger the active safety systems if the worst happens and it detects a heart attack. The system can also warn a parent if a sleeping child is suffering a diabetic episode.

"Some people say, 'Well, clearly you need to keep the driver in the loop so they know what's going on.' But it's very different in a car because things happen so fast that you can't be doing something else like reading the paper or combing your hair because all of a sudden the car says 'would you please take over, we have a situation here.' We just don't have time to do that."

Mulally says the driverless car will not arrive in showrooms all of a sudden, but that it will evolve over time with features being added every year.

"It used to be only passive safety, but all this active safety that we're adding now [is] making the car safer and safer and safer. So it's not like it's going to be one big leap into the driverless future. You're seeing all that going in the car today, but who knows what the time frame is. It'll come when all those things come together."The neat thing about this technology is that it's going into the car now.

Baby steps

Ford's vision for the connected car is to use driver's smartphones to take on most of the grunt work, a different approach to the one other manufacturers have taken.

"One of the things that people really loved about Ford was that when we moved to the connected world, we made the decision to use the consumer's smartphones and not build the capability into the car. You can have one integrated life, because you could bring whatever your phone was, whatever operating system it was. You have this Ford that can use all of your capability. We got a tremendous response from that.

"A lot of people have done their own system and they embedded it in the car, and then the software can't keep up with the consumer's electronics and you have to change your car out. And we want to get to a place where you can just flash your car over the internet and you have the latest software and applications. Because the car has a life cycle that is much larger than consumer electronics."

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Hottest concept cars we want to drive now

1. Frankfurt Motor Show 2013: Audi Sport quattro

From high-concept cop show, to concept car on the show floor, Audi's quattro has returned from the ashes (geddit?!) and might just make it into full-scale production. Harks back to '80s super coupe as seen in BBC's Ashes-to-Ashes, but updates the old timer with petrol-electric tech for 700hp and just 59g/km CO2 emissions.

Audio | Release date: 2015 (estimated)

2. Frankfurt Motor Show 2013: Citroën Cactus

Odd name for a car that quenches Citroën's creative design drought with a flood of inspiration. But the crazy Cactus is refreshingly quirky and exactly the kind of car that once made Citroën famous. Left-field features include 'Hybrid Air' tech to deliver almost 100mpg and padded capsules on body sides and bumpers to absorb minor impacts.

Citroën | Release date: 2014

3. Frankfurt Motor Show 2013: Volvo Concept Coupé

Apparently, Volvo couldn't think of something clever to call its latest coupé concept, so Concept Coupé it is. Uncharacteristic elegance aside (for Volvo), intriguing innovations abound including a twin-charged motor, electric drive and touchscreen multimedia kit. Volvo says its u-shaped lights will be seen in production Volvos soon.

Volvo | Release date: Never!

4.Frankfurt Motor Show 2013:Ford S-Max
When is a car not just a car but also a high-tech hospital on wheels? When it's the Ford S-Max concept. The concept is really a thinly disguised derivative of the new S-Max mid-sized people carrier, due out imminently. But this show star is packed with clever health kit including heart rate and blood sugar monitors. Nurse!

Ford | Release date: Early 2014

5. Frankfurt Motor Show 2013: Honda NSX

Honda's hybrid hypercar is one of those on-again, off-again projects that never quite makes it to the showroom. But this latest NSX concept is a letter of intent from Honda HQ. You'll be able to buy yours in 2015. 400 mid-engine hybrid horsepower combine with Honda's legendary reliability to deliver the ultimate everyday exotic car.

Honda | Release date: 2015

6. Frankfurt Motor Show 2013: Jaguar CX-17

A Jaguar offroader? What next, a Range Rover roadster? But wait, crossovers and SUVs are all the rage and this one packs a techy punch thanks to touchscreens and a wi-fi hotspot. So a mud-plugging Jag with mod cons is a no brainer. If the final production version looks anything like this, the big cat will be a huge money spinner.

Jaguar | Release date: 2016 (estimated)

7. Frankfurt Motor Show 2013: Lexus LF-NX

Yup, it's another luxury SUV concept, this time from Lexus. Styling-wise, the LF-NX takes Lexus's increasingly assertive design vibe to homicidal new levels of aggression. But here's the twist. It's not actually four-wheel drive. The 200hp petrol-electric hybrid powertrain only pumps the front wheels, though full 4x4 is an option for production.

Lexus | Release date: 2015 (estimated)

8. Frankfurt Motor Show 2013: Audi Nanuk

If it seems unfair to give Audi a second slot, the Nanuk is one of the few genuine surprises on the Frankfurt show floor. Audi's elevator pitch involves a world's first fusion of supercar and SUV. There's well over 500hp. But it drinks diesel not petrol and has adaptive air suspension and four-wheel steering for all-terrain escapades.

Audi | Release date: Not likely!

9. Frankfurt Motor Show 2013: Mercedes-Benz Concept S-class Coupé

Mercedes' show star is a preposterously luxurious four-wheeled wink. This so-called concept will hit show rooms with just a handful of tweaks. Traditional pillarless design meets techtastic opulence on an epic scale, is the general idea. So, how about door panels hewn from computer-milled alloy and a chrome centre console forged at 1,000 degrees C?

Mercedes-Benz | Release date: 2014

10. Frankfurt Motor Show 2013: Smart Fourjoy

Happy, happy, joy, joy, joy, joy. Yup, the Smart Fourjoy is a conspicously upbeat effort from Mercedes' troubled maker of microcars. It previews what is surely the last chance for the Smart brand, the next-gen Forfour hatchback. Airy, open-plan concept has no doors or central pillars, while power comes from 17.7kWh of lithium-ion do-goodness.

Smart | Release date: 2014

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BMW 4-series picks up where the 3 left off

BMW's all new 435i is all about the profile. It has a longer nose than the 3-series and a roofline reminiscent of the old 8-series.

FRANKFURT--The BMW 3-series may not be gone, but it might be best forgotten. There's a new ultimate driving machine in town, and it's called the BMW 4-series. This new even-numbered BMW series takes up the performance mantle formerly worn by the 3-series.

BMW shifted its body styles around to accommodate the new model, canceling the coupe version of the 3-series and dedicating it to the new 4. Later, a convertible version of the 4-series will be available.

The 4-series shows different proportions to the 3-series, with a longer nose and a roofline reminiscent of the old 8-series. BMW says the 4 has the lowest center of gravity in its current line-up, along with a 50:50 weight balance between front and rear axles.

Being a BMW, it's not hard to figure out what drivetrains the new model will get. The 435i comes with a 3-liter straight six cylinder engine, using direct injection and a twin scroll turbo, plus BMW's Valvetronic and Double VANOS technologies to make 306 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. BMW gives a zero to 62 mph time of 4.9 seconds.

Alternatively, the 428i will be available. Like other 28i-designated models, the 428i uses BMW's direct injection 2-liter four cylinder, also with a turbocharger, making 240 horsepower.

BMW's 3-liter six cylinder engine, with a twin scroll turbo, is a great choice for the 4-series.

Along with engine choice, the 4-series can be had with a six speed manual or an eight speed automatic transmission. BMW's six speed manual shifts nicely, with an easy action through the gate. And its eight speed automatic delivers good performance, with fast shifts and an aggressive sport program. The Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT), doesn't appear in the line-up, but will likely come out in a future M4 model.

The steering rack comes with an electric power steering system, technology BMW has been deploying throughout its line-up. In other BMW models, we've noticed some inconsistency in the steering feel, with the X1, for example, being remarkably heavy. We will have to bet the 4-series on the road before we can tell how its steering has been tuned.

One area where BMW makes steady progress on an almost yearly basis is its cabin tech. The new 4-series gets the latest iteration of the iDrive system, its central control dial inset with a touchpad, letting drivers enter alphanumeric characters by tracing them, much more convenient than the old rotary selection system.

As in recent BMW model updates, the center LCD sits on the dashboard as a discreet module, emphasizing its slim dimensions. Along with the usual navigation, phone system, and stereo, the screen shows BMW's latest connected features.

At the same time, BMW continues to use analog gauges in the instrument cluster, instead of the virtual gauges rapidly gaining ground in the industry. The four gauges have a simple, flat design, making them easy to read at a glance. Complementing the instrument cluster is a head-up display, projecting vehicle speed, turn-by-turn direction, and other useful information on the windshield.

Despite the sport character of the 4-series, BMW will also make a number of driver assistance features available, including adaptive cruise control, which can bring the car to a complete stop in traffic. As another advanced tech feature, LED headlights will be available.

As a high-tech option, the 4-series can be had with LED headlights, which will last longer than incandescents, use less energy, and throw a more defined pattern.

Although a base 3-series may lack the performance characteristics for which BMW has become known, the company never really forgot how to build a sports car. The new 4-series, especially the 435i model, should be the thrill-ride of choice for driving enthusiasts.

This new 4-series coupe also leads a small pack, as BMW promises a convertible version in the near future. But most BMW fans will be waiting on the M4, the successor to the legendary M3.

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Nissan shifts into wearables with car-connecting Nismo Watch

"Be one with your car" is a mantra often muttered by motorheads, but Nissan is taking syncing with your vehicle to a whole new level with the introduction of the Nismo Watch.

Billed as the first smartwatch to connect car and driver, this concept wrist-warmer comes on the heels of the SamsungGalaxy Gear and Qualcomm Toq's reveals.

Clearly, it's time to settle in for a deluge of techy tickers.

Nissan called the new smartwatch its first step into wearable tech, foreshadowing more developments down the line. The Nismo Watch offers a mix of biometric data and car performance stats, and it's specifically designed for drivers of its Nismo performance line of vehicles, which include the Juke Nismo and 370Z Nismo.

Wearable stats

The biometric data coming from the Nismo Watch is sent in real time, keeping a finger on a wearer's internals through a heart rate monitor and ideally leading to an increase in performance and efficiency.

There's plenty more to look at on the car side of things, too. The Nismo Watch connects to a vehicle using a smartphone app and Bluetooth Low Energy, creating a flow of data between car and wearable.

The watch can keep track of a car's efficiency by monitoring its average speed and fuel use, and according to a promo video, the Nismo Watch can warn you to slow down if your heart rate gets too high, give a heads up on road conditions and send you alerts when it's time to schedule car maintenance, among other tailored car messages.

While it's not going to count your calories like a Nike Fuelband or snap a picture like the Galaxy Gear, for those whose livelihoods, thrills and gas bills rest in the drivers seat, the Nismo Watch could prove worth wearing.

Unsurprisingly, there's a social element at play as well. Nissan said the watch keeps an eye on and rates how a user performs across Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram through its Social Speed software. Alerts for a new message and back-patting messages like "You tweet like a pro" are apparently part of the package.

Nissan is offering the watch in three colors - black, white and "flagship" black and red. Its design is seamless and features two buttons to control the UI. According to the carmaker, the watch's lithium battery can last more than seven days with normal use. A micro-USB port will juice the Nismo Watch when it needs to fill up.

The Nissan watch should be available globally, though we have no word yet on pricing.

Racing into the future

Attendees of the Frankfurt Motor Show can sneak a peak at the Nismo Watch between Sept. 10 and Sept. 22, but bear in mind that this is part of a larger Nissan scheme to get performance-enhancing wearables out to the public at large.

According to the company, it's currently investigating heart and brain monitoring tools for use in future wearables. It hopes to take tech developed for the Nismo Lab, a performance analysis tool, beyond the racetrack and into the hands (or wrists, rather) of non-racing athletes and regular Nissan owners alike.

It's pinpointed three areas for future work; electrocardiogram to measure intervals of R-R heart rhythms and identify early fatigue, electroencephalogram brainwave to monitor drivers' levels of concentration and emotions, and skin temperature to keep track of body temp and hydration.

Nissan looks to be heading full throttle into wearables, which should make for one hell of a ride.

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The 5 best and 5 worst in-car tech options

It doesn't make headlines or shave off seconds round theTop Gear test track. But in-car tech like nav, Bluetooth and smartphone integration is the biggest differentiator in modern motoring. Here's our guide to the best and worst deals you can buy.

Shop around for a 1.8-litre diesel hatchback and you'll find most of the key metrics are separated by a cigarette paper.

Power, performance, emissions, passenger space, they're often almost identical. OK, the warranties that cover all that hardware can vary. But the oily bits are awfully similar.

The driving experience is very samey, too. It's often said there are no bad cars any longer. When it comes to things like ride and handling, that's almost true.

But not when it comes to in-car technology. From touchscreens to voice control and DAB to internet connectivity, there are huge differences in infotainment pricing and capability.

Put it this way. You probably won't notice whether a Golf or a Focus has better steering feel. But you definitely will know if you iPhone syncs more smartly or if that clunky navigation doesn't support postcodes.

However, the good news is that things are changing fast. Manufacturers are waking up to the fact the cars buyers simply won't stand for paying five times as much as a tablet computer for half the functionality.

Five best deals in infotainment

Audi A3 MMI with Navigation

£495

Premium manufacturers are addicted to hitting customers with big bills for infotainment options. In this part of the market, full-feature in-car systems with navigation typically command four-figure fees.

Indeed, systems costing £2,000 or more are not unusual. But things are beginning to change. The new Audi A3 gets a fair amount of MMI functionality as standard, including the main LCD display, the input wheel and Bluetooth right across the range.

Meanwhile, upgrading to the navigation-enabled option costs £495. That looks pricey comapred with an aftermarket option like a TomTom. But it's very aggressively priced for a premium factory fit system.

BMW and MINI (every model) DAB radio

£Free

It seems like an obvious thing to do, fitting DAB radio as standard to every car. Instead, you'd be amazed just how many cars can't even be had with DAB radio as a cost option.

Hats off, then, to BMW for making DAB standard on every BMW and MINI branded car it sells . It'll cost BMW almost nothing in terms of fitting the hardware. But it does mean they miss out on on upselling DAB as an option. Here's hoping more car makers follow BMW's lead.

Fiat 500 Blue&Me

£250

When Blue&Me first appeared on the cutesy Fiat 500 back in 2007, it was one of the most innovative in-car system on the market with its early take on in-car apps like ecoDrive.

Since then, Fiat has rather let Blue&Me stagnate. Smartphone integration and internet connectivity are conspicuous by their absence. However, For just £250 you still get a simple, effective little system that does the basics better than most. That includes music from iPhones or USB devices and Bluetooth telephony. For around £240 more, you can add an semi-integrated TomTom device for navigation.

Vauxhall Adam Intellilink

£275

Vauxhall's new city car has a tough job on its hands. Whatever the price point, from the VW Up! To the Fiat 500 and Audi A1, the competition is seriously stiff.

But the oddly named Adam's new Intellink system could help turn heads. For just £275, you get what Vauxhall claims is seamless iPhone and Android integration along with access to internet-based apps and GPS navigation via your handset. The Adam is so new, we haven't tried it yet. But it looks great on paper.

VW Up! Maps and More

£300

It's not perfect. But it is very cheap at just £250. And it has all the critical features covers. That's the VW Up!'s Maps and More infotainment system. At a glance, it looks like a boggo, off-the-shelf Navigon satnav device.

BMW 1 Series iDrive Professional

£1,995

But it's actually a bit cleverer than that. It's integrated into the Up!'s telematics and audio system. So features like the trip computer, music playback and Bluetooth functionality are all brought together on the x-inch touchscreen. And because it's based on a Navigon device, you can whip it out of the car and use it as a portable nav device.Just to prove we're not BMW fanboys, here's something BMW could do better. It's one thing charging a couple of thou' for an infotainment system in an £80k luxury limo. But the BMW 1 Series is the brand's entry-model starting at £17,510.

In that context, charging nearly £2,000 for nav, tunes and a few other frills is utterly outrageous. In many ways, you get more functionality in a £400 tablet.

It's pity because iDrive is one of if not the best full-feature in-car systems on the market. We'd definitely want it in any BMW we bought. Our advice is to drive a hard bargain in the showroom and get the dealer to throw it in for free or at least at a very heavy discount.

Honda Civic Honda SD Navigation System

£1,970

Hondas are reliable, well made and reasonably priced. We like Hondas. But what on earth is Honda doing charing nearly £2,000 for the frankly semi-shonky SD Navigation System?

OK, it has a 6.1-inch touchscreen, USB, Bluetooth connectivity and navigation. But it feels utterly ancient compared with the latest and greatest systems. Internet connectivity? Apps? You must be joking. Luckily, it slots into a double-DIN slot in the dash, so you it's easy enough to skip it and buy something better from an aftermarket supplier.

Mercedes A-Class DAB radio

£420

Four hundred and twenty earth pounds for DAB radio? Cue John McEnroe levels of pure, unadulterated outrage.

There's not much more we can say about this one. We doubt it costs much more than £10 to put DAB in an A-Class. And frankly it ought to be standard. So charging that much for it is positively preposterous.

That's a shame because the Drive Kit Plus iPhone-integration feature of the Mercedes-Benz COMAND system (see our video here) is really rather funky. So Merc does know how to do good infotainment features. It just needs to wake up a bit on the pricing.

MINI Cooper Bluetooth with USB

£700

If you asked use to put together a Bill of Rights for modern in-car infotainment, we'd say every new car should have DAB, Bluetooth and USB as standard.

When you think about it, you often get the latter two on even the cheapest portable devices. There are smartphones that have that kind of functionality, plus a touchscreen, internet connectivity, GPS and more. Anyway, at the very least, Bluetooth and USB should be cheap.

OK, you get an armrest connector for your phone. And MINI swears blind the price reflects the cost. But for £700, it's surely one of the biggest rip offs in car tech.

Porsche Cayenne TV Tuner

£1,044

How much use is a TV tuner in a car? That's open to reasonable debate.

What's not is that charging over £1,000 to add that functionality takes breathtaking cheek. Just think how much HDTV that would buy you. Hell, you could buy a pretty decent HDTV and a nice 1080p projector for £1,000 these days. And Porsche wants that to stick in a £50 tuner board? Very, very naughty.

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How the car of the future will keep you healthy

Short of hiring a nurse to drive with you on a commute, the modern car of today is not exactly a medical asset.

In fact, according to recent highway safety stats, collisions in the USA are now more common and there were more fatalities compared to the previous year.

Your car knows almost nothing about your medical condition, such as whether your pulse is racing, if you are having a heart attack, or if you've recently started taking heavy medication.

But that could change over the next decade, as vehicles monitor your health as you drive, determine if you are fit to drive and even intervene to prevent an accident. They might even dim the lights to fit your mood, play ambient music during stressful road conditions, and drive you to a hospital.

The recently-announced Ford S-Max is just a concept car but it can monitor your heart rate and blood sugar levels, giving a clear example of the kind of developments being made.

Current state of technology

The earliest signs of a car becoming a life saver occurred in 2003 when Lexus introduced its Pre-Collision System (or PCS). The tech, accurate within millimetres, helps to determine if a driver is paying attention.

In the 2013 Lexus LS, for example, a more advanced PCS can detect whether your eyes are open or if you're getting drowsy. If a crash is imminent, the car will alert you. If you're still not paying attention, the PCS will brake to reduce your speed.

Of course, many modern cars already offer life-saving safety measures. The2014 Infiniti Q50, for example, can detect an imminent crash and apply the brakes, and a lane-keeping system makes sure you don't swerve off the road inadvertently.

In the 2013 Infiniti JX35, a reversing system will stop the car if there is an object or person behind you.

And in one of the most advanced systems, introduced only in the Japanese version of the Nissan Elgrand, the car knows when you are parking and can detect if you meant to apply the brake and not the accelerator. The car won't surge forward or back and will suppress the speed for you.

Mercedes offers an attention monitoring system in several models. The system watches multiple variables such as steering position and how long you've been driving. You'll see a "coffee break" notice appear in the dash if you're driving too erratically.

None of these systems actually monitor the health of the driver, though. Like any robotic device, they use pre-programmed algorithms to watch steering and lane position. Yet, the technology is available to make the car more like a roving medical kit to help us live better.

Next steps for better health monitoring

There's something much bigger in the works, according to experts and futurists. Several car manufacturers hinted at a future when the car will become more medically aware.

"In the future, cars will automatically drive you to the nearest doctor or hospital if they sense a problem with you or your passengers," says Thilo Koslowski, vice president and distinguished automotive analyst at Gartner.

"The car might suggest that the driver pulls over and takes a break or notify family members that the driver's health isn't where it should be."

One of the next steps in monitoring the drive might involve looking for sudden blackouts. Hideki Hada, a Toyota engineer, say that sudden changes in driver attention such as a blackout are a well-known problem in the industry, and something that requires more research.

The trade-off, of course, might be whether a sudden movement, such as reaching into the back seat while driving, would trigger a false alarm that annoys the driver.

Another possibility is monitoring the pulse of a driver. Hada says that this is in an experimental stage by reading the pulse from the driver's hand on the steering wheel to determine if there is a concern. "Real-world challenges include people wearing gloves, drivers holding various locations of the steering wheel, environmental and individual variations," says Hada.

Hada says a truck company in Japan experimented with a system that wakes up a driver by emitting an aroma in the cab after detecting the driver is drowsy. Another possible enhancement is that instead of playing a loud warning to startle a driver, which itself could cause a crash, Hada says one option could be to play a softer message, such as your own child's voice.

Koslowski says there is a distinct possibility that the car will become much more aware of how you are driving. If you are drowsy, the radio might flip to an ambient rock station.

During a stretch of road that is more prone to collisions between cars, the vehicle might automatically dim the lights and enable a road tracking system that looks closely for dangers. More importantly, the car will know if you are suddenly ill and a danger to yourself - and other drivers.

"The car won't be able to do an X-ray anytime soon, but it will detect if health-related aspects are preventing you from driving the way you should," Koslowski says.

Challenges ahead

In 2011, Nissan presented a concept car that could tell if you were driving drunk. A sensor in the gear stick monitored for a high alcohol level. If the car determined that the driver was over the alcohol limit, you couldn't put it into first gear and a message would appear in the nav system.

As you might expect, some wondered if your car should know if you are about to commit a crime.

Steve Yaeger, a Nissan spokesperson, say that the challenge with these systems lies in knowing whether drivers will be comfortable giving up their privacy in this way. For example, he says that there is already the automotive tech available to take the body temperature of a driver, which might be used to determine if he or she is unwell, but drivers don't want that intrusion.

Then there is the challenge of sharing private information. If the car can read your blood pressure and pulse, it can also share this data (in the upcoming Microsoft Xbox One, the new Kinect 2 sensor can tell if you have elevated pulse just by monitoring your skin colour).

"It would get more problematic if this information is shared with other organisations such as health insurance providers or the police," says Koslowski.

The good news is that drivers will adopt and approve of these measures if they do provide a health benefit. We may be willing to let our car drive us to the hospital if the alternative is that we die on a lonely roadside.

And, we may even approve of a breath analyser to see if we are too intoxicated to drive a loved one home from a party. The technology is waiting in the wings; now we just need society to catch up to it.

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2014 Ford Escape SE review:

Ford crossover rewards restraint with value

The good: The 2014 Ford Escape SE's 1.6L EcoBoost engine behaves like a much larger power plant. The standard Sync AppLink technology puts dozens of smartphone apps for media and navigation under the driver's control with voice commands.

The bad: During my testing Sync AppLink was a bit temperamental, at times not recognizing valid apps. All of the best safety tech options are up in the Titanium trim level.

The bottom line: The 2014 Ford Escape SE is a fantastic example of "less is more," making acceptable power with a tiny engine and offering exceptional tech in even its base configuration.

Automakers have been talking for years about breathing new life into the internal combustion engine, promising big engine power from small, efficient engines through the magic of turbocharging. Ford's offered its large Flex, Explorer, and even the F-150 with smaller-than-average turbocharged engines with varying degrees of success. Some were good; others underwhelmed.

Enter the 2014 Ford Escape SE, a midsize crossover that's been mated with an engine no larger than that which you'd find under the hood of a Ford Fiesta. Sounds like a recipe for disaster, but surprisingly, with the magic of turbocharging, it's not.

The engine isn't the aspect of this SE model where Ford has delivered more from less. We also learned that when it comes to Ford infotainment tech, sometimes the simpler dashboard package is also the best way to go.

1.6-liter EcoBoost engine

Walking up to a vehicle as big as the Escape is and then getting in and driving around for a bit, you might not believe that the engine under the hood only displaces 1.6-liters. I know didn't believe, but it does.

The Escape SE's little engine makes its 178 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque with the aid of turbocharging and direct injection.

Under most around-town driving conditions, the 1.6-liter doesn't behave like a turbocharged engine, that's because Ford has done a remarkable job of tuning turbo lag out of the EcoBoost's delivery. The engine just feels like a larger displacement engine, the only hint that forced induction is at play is a slight whistle that can be heard when driving with the windows open.

Helping the engine to do its thing is the six-speed automatic transmission -- the only option available on the Escape -- which always seemed to be in the right gear. Downshifts for passing happened at logical times and upshifts were smooth. I liked that though the default shift program is economy oriented, it didn't hop in to too high a gear too soon, leaving the Escape outside of its power band.

Drivers who want to drive a bit faster will be happy to learn that the Escape SE offers a manual shift program, but will be disappointed to see that the gears are selected with a rocker switch atop the shift lever, rather than with paddles or gates. Fortunately, the Escape offers a sport program that is a bit more aggressive with holding each gear higher into the power band -- where the turbo can deliver best power -- and downshifting more frequently for more responsive throttle pedal feel and slightly faster acceleration. This was the mode that I defaulted to for most of my driving.

A variant of this same engine will be found in the upcoming Ford Fiesta ST, but with output bumped to 197 horsepower and 202 pound-feet of torque. I can't wait to drive that little hot hatch, but I digress.

Escape owners who want more power have the option to step up to the Titanium trim levelwith its optional 2.0L EcoBoost engine, 240 horsepower, and 270 pound-feet of torque. While I'm always for more power, the 1.6L SE model feels like a good performance sweet spot for commuting, people moving, and grocery getting.

The 1.6L's slightly higher 23 city, 32 highway, and 26 combined mpg estimates for our front-wheel drive model also seem right on the money. I averaged about 24.8 mpg during our week of testing, which included quite a bit of idling during video and photo shoots and a bit of heavy-footed exploring of the performance envelope.

Speaking of the performance envelope, I was pleased with our front-drive Escape SE's handling. (An all-wheel-drive option is available, but not equipped.) The steering was responsive with good initial turn-in that makes the crossover feel pretty nimble at parking lot and city speed. Being based on the same platform as Ford's Focus, the Escape garners a lot to the same praise that's been heaped on the compact -- a controlled ride that's not too mushy, predictable amounts of grip, and a general feeling of responsive handling that automakers like to call "European tuned" in their marketing materials.

Only in the larger, elevated Escape the element of sportiness is slightly dulled. Very slightly, I feel I should emphasize. There's no beating the laws of physics, but Ford's engineers have done a good job making the Escape feel more carlike and accessible than ever. However, I did notice that the Escape feels noticeably less planted at highway speeds than its smaller platform-mate. Over rough and cracked asphalt, I could feel the vehicle seemingly moving around beneath me and twitching about, requiring lots of small corrections and concentration.

That said, the Escape wasn't as twitchy as, say, the Mazda CX-5, and certainly not as swayed by crosswinds on the freeway. On roads with a bit more space to move around in within the lane -- unlike San Francisco's sometimes cramped local highways -- drivers may not even notice the slight twitchiness, but I feel it bears mentioning.

App integration powered by Sync

We usually get cars loaded up with all of the tech packages: The last time we tested an Escape, it came loaded up with MyFord Touch and all sorts of bells and whistles. The SE trim level that arrived in the Car Tech garage came without all of that, so we were able to interact with Ford's basic level of Sync with AppLink, which is in some ways superior to the fully loaded setup.

Ford Sync AppLink boasts well over 22 compatible apps just for Android and about as many for iOS. These apps add functionality such as navigation, audio playback and streaming, news broadcasts, and more to the Escape's dashboard.

Generally speaking, AppLink setup should be as simple as installing the compatible app on your phone, pairing your phone with the vehicle, and then issuing voice commands via Sync. If, for example, Pandora is installed on your phone, you should be able to just say, "Mobile apps" and then "Pandora" to begin streaming your custom stations from the internet via the app. You should also be able to request your custom stations by saying, for example, "Listen to Michael Jackson Radio" or rate songs by saying "thumbs up" or "thumbs down."

However, every now and then, Sync just wouldn't recognize and app as installed, particularly if you have a lot of compatible apps installed on your host phone. For example. after installing Kaliki Audio Newstand, iHeart Radio, Scout, and NPR News, Sync stopped recognizing Amazon MP3 as a valid installed app. Upon exiting and re-entering the vehicle, Sync began to recognize Amazon, but seemed to forget that iHeart and NPR were installed on my phone. To be fair, it's possible that my phone is as much to blame for this communication error as the Sync system -- perhaps completely -- but I'm reporting my experiences.

Sometimes the lack of visual feedback required a bit more mental processing than I'm used to. For example, the way the Scout navigation worked in tandem with the Sync system's built-in turn-by-turn guidance engine had me scratching my head until I got a trip or two beneath my belt. Here's how it works and where my the confusion happened.

When you fire the Premium version of the Scout app up via the Sync voice commands, "Mobile apps, Scout," you're greeted by onscreen text that indicates that you're ready to start giving the app voice commands. From here, you can access your saved locations, get traffic updates, or just initiate turn-by-turn directions by say something like "Drive home." The app will think for a bit and then report that it has downloaded directions and that you're now free to use your phone. What it won't do is start giving turn-by-turn directions. After a bit of fiddling with the system while parked (safety first) I got annoyed and just drove away, without the directions.

Suddenly, the Ford Sync system started giving me turn-by-turn navigation with little onscreen turn prompts and arrows.

Here's what I learned was actually happening behind the scenes. When you ask Sync and Scout to get directions home, the app pulls your GPS location and your home address and plots a route home. But instead of proceeding to give you the directions, it uploads the route to the internal memory of the Escape's Sync system and then goes back into standby. When you start driving, Sync keeps track of your GPS location and reads the directions when you approach the preprogrammed turns.

The advantage of this method is that you can use the Sync AppLink connection -- which can only communicate with one app at a time -- to listen to music while navigating, for example. This I like, it's actually a very clever use of the technology in the vehicle to get around the limitations of the Bluetooth connection. The disadvantages are that if you get off of course, Sync will have to stop what it's doing to temporarily reconnect to the Scout app, which is the brains of the whole navigation experience. There's also the slight confusion that dealing with two systems can cause on those first few trips. I'd like to see better explanation to the driver from either Scout or Ford in this respect. Perhaps if the system said, "Begin driving for guidance" instead of "You can now use your phone," I wouldn't have been as confused about what to do next.

Learning curve aside, I liked that even drivers who don't opt to drop a bunch of money on amenities can still get reasonably good navigation, access to their favorite digital audio, and customizable news apps with the basic cabin tech setup.

The rest of the tech

Even if you're not app-crazy, the basic Ford Sync infotainment system packs a pretty good level of tech and digital audio sources.

Standard features include Bluetooth hands-free calling with Sync's great voice command that allows users to speak contacts' names to initiate calls. On phones that support Bluetooth MAP, Sync can read incoming text messages aloud. Meanwhile Bluetooth A2DP allows stereo audio to be streamed from connected devices. During my testing, I noticed that the Sync system didn't seem to support metadata such as song titles when streaming, which is odd for such a tech-forward setup.

Other audio sources include CD playback, USB/iPod connectivity, a 3.5mm analog auxiliary input for external devices, and AM/FM radio. The SiriusXM Satellite Radio tuner has a neat time shift feature that allows users to temporarily pause live broadcasts. So the driver can pause, for example, the news or a sports event to run into a store and pick up where he or she left off when returning to the car.

Like the app integration, all areas of the Sync system have a heavy emphasis on voice command, which is good because the dashboard is a mess with buttons. Users can tap a steering wheel button to tune to a satellite or terrestrial radio station, play an artist's music, or an album stored on a connected iPod, among other options.

Safety tech is pretty much limited to the standard rear-view camera that makes use of the tiny 4.3-inch dashboard screen that comes standard with the Sync system. This color display overlays distance and trajectory markers onto the video feed to help estimate how far obstructions are and where the vehicle will end up while reversing, but for more advanced safety features, such as blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, or automated parallel parking, you'll have to step up to the Titanium trim level and its plethora of tech packages.

In sum

When choosing cars, the knee-jerk reaction is to get the most. More is better, right? Well, the 2013 Ford Escape SE is a good example of the old adage that less is more.

The basic Sync with AppLink infotainment system is arguably better in many ways and less distracting than the MyFord Touch tech package that is optional at this trim level, despite having less screen real estate to work with. The 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine offers less power than the optional 2.0-liter EcoBoost, but still offers acceptable amounts of power and performance for what I believe are most drivers' needs; the Escape SE is no slouch despite the lack of displacement. And it comes at a good price: $25,550 plus $895 in destination charges to get out of the door as equipped for our review at $26,445.

At that price, it compares favorably with the 2013 Mazda CX-5 Touring -- though for my money, the Mazda is probably a better buy. The CX-5's TomTom-powered tech offering at this price point is just a hair better than the at times temperamental Ford AppLink and, for what it's worth, its handling is a bit more dynamic.

If you simply can't help yourself, you can add MyFord Touch, navigation, a panoramic moonroof, a power liftgate, premium audio, and all-wheel drive either a la carte or as parts of packages. If you've got an extra $10k burning a hole in your pocket, there's also the fully loaded, tech-laden Escape Titanium to tempt you with its hands-free tailgate and automatic parallel parking wizardry.

Tech specs
Model	2014 Ford Escape
Trim	SE FWD
Power train	1.6-liter Ecoboost four-cylinder, turbocharged, gasoline direct injection, FWD, six-speed automatic transmission
EPA fuel economy	23 city, 32 highway, and 26 combined mpg
Observed fuel economy	24.8 mpg
Navigation	Optional
Bluetooth phone support	Yes, with voice command and audio streaming
Disc player	Single-slot CD
MP3 player support	Standard analog 3.5mm auxiliary input, USB/iPod connection, Bluetooth audio streaming
Other digital audio	SiriusXM Satellite Radio with time shift
Audio system	Six-speaker basic audio
Driver aids	Standard rear camera
Base price	$25,550
Price as tested	$26,445

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