A joint venture between Ford and Rheinisch-Westfalische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University has developed a seat which has six sensors within the seat which monitor the heart and allow for early warning of a heart attack not only allowing the driver to stop but also could alert the necessary emergency services.

This development by Ford is to allow those with an illness to remain able to drive for as long as possible, other developments are an asthma management tools and glucose monitoring device for diabetic drivers.

Professor Leonhardt from RWTH said “The ability to monitor hearts at the wheel could offer massive benefits in terms of health and road safety, both for the user and the wider public.” he further added ” The car is an obvious choice; it’s a place where occupants spend long periods sitting in a rather calm position and a place that’s increasingly less physically demanding making it the ideal environment to measure heart activity.”

All these developments are still in their infancy, however all indications are good and there is a good possibility that they will be seen in production in the future.