Wrist Tech Takes the Wheel: A New Way to Drive?

At the Consumer Electronics Show, a unique demo caught attention. It wasn't about the latest phone or TV, but about controlling a car's dashboard with just a wristband. Meta and Garmin teamed up to show off this idea. The band, worn on the wrist, picks up tiny electrical signals from finger movements. No touch, no screen tap, just air gestures. The demo happened in a mock-up of a future smart car. The car was full of screens, but the focus was on the wristband. It let the user swipe, scroll, and even play games like Tetris. The band worked with a few basic functions, like opening apps or playing music. The idea is that both the driver and passenger could use their own bands to control the car's system.But how well does it work? The controls were a bit unreliable. Sometimes it worked smoothly, other times it missed the mark. The band can be used with hands down or in the air. The demo showed two bands connected at once, one for the driver and one for the passenger. This could be useful for sharing control of the car's entertainment system. Garmin's goal is to make this tech available to other car manufacturers. The idea is to create a platform that can be integrated into different vehicles. But would people want this? The writer of the article drives an older car and connects their phone with a simple clip. They wonder if wrist wearables will soon connect to more things in the world. The writer is curious about the future of this tech. They think it's interesting but need to see more before being convinced. The partnership between Garmin and Meta is worth watching. Garmin's watches already work with Meta's glasses. Maybe one day, Meta's neural band will be on a Garmin watch.