Virtual back-seat driver showcased by Sony and Toyota

Sony and Toyota will this week unveil a car which senses the stress levels of the driver, calms them down when they get road rage and praises them for good driving.

The Pod, as the vehicle is called, uses sensors in the driver's seat to monitor pulse rate and perspiration. The computer then cross-references that data with information on distance from the car in front, acceleration and braking, and matches it against data from a 'model' driver.

If behaviour indicates stress or erratic driving, a warning will flash up on the dashboard display, calming music will start to play and cool air will come through the vents. Praise will also be given if the driver closely matches the 'model' driver's data.

The Pod also replaces the conventional steering wheel and pedal arrangement with a joystick.

For more information, check out the Tokyo Motor Show website later this week at http://www.motorshow.or.jp/eng/index.html