You’re driving along, enjoying the scenery, not knowing the evil that lurks outside your vehicle’s windows. We are of course talking about… pollen! Imagine being able to get a warning that you might have a runny nose, itchy, watery eyes or a bout of sneezing in your immediate future?

Meet Allergy Alert, a real-time app now compatible with the Ford SYNC® AppLink™. Through the app’s pollen index rating, you can learn the types of allergen conditions you’re likely to encounter, as well as the risk index for asthma, flu/cough/cold and UV rays. The data provider for the Allergy Alert app is IMS Heath, a global leader in health-care info.

“We are attempting to create the car that cares,” explained Gary Strumolo, Global Manager of Ford Research and Innovation. “The trend in mobile health is all about knowing potential health concerns before they happen so that they don’t surprise a person, even while driving.”

With SYNC AppLink, you can connect your smartphone or tablet to your Ford, then use voice commands to access information from Allergy Alert, all the while leaving your tissue-free hands on the wheel and non-itchy eyes on the road.2 Using GPS, the system will provide “current location” updates, as well as a verbal pollen index, note which pollens are predominantly in the air, provide an asthma scale and more.

This is another way Ford is keeping an eye on your health and merging your well-being with vehicle technology. In spring of last year, a series of research projects for in-car health and wellness-connected services began, such as medical device connectivity, cloud-based health management services and mobile app integration. Ford seats that could predict a heart attack while you’re behind the wheel are also in the works.