New smart car feature alerts you if you leave something in the back seat

It can be as simple (and stinky) as forgetting leftovers in the back seat, or as tragic and terrifying as leaving a pet or young child sitting in the back while a car heats up in the summer sun. That's where Nissan's "smart" alert system comes in.

Nissan's rear door alert — or RDA — system was first introduced in the Nissan Pathfinder last year. The recently patented technology triggers the horn and a message display through door sensors alerting drivers to check the back seat after the car is parked if the back door was opened before the ride started. The tech was filed as an "activity monitoring apparatus." Read more...