Any parent who has ever wrestled with a kid’s car seat can tell you that it’s one of the more challenging aspects of early child rearing. It can also be difficult to determine whether the seat is installed correctly, even though there’s no lack of information on the subject.

The First Years True Fit Convertible line of car seats from Tomy takes the guesswork out for smartphone-toting parents with its IAlert system: Tomy says it’s the world's first car-seat monitoring system that uses a smartphone application to alert parents and caregivers to problems with the seat.

If the system notices that the seat is in a rear-facing position but not at a proper angle, it will send an alert -- same if the buckle releases while the vehicle is in motion. The system will also alert parents if a child is left in the seat when the car has stopped and when the temperature of the car seat is too high or too low.

The First Years True Fit Convertible Car Seat with the IAlert system is designed for kids weighing 5 to 65 pounds and will be available this fall. Pricing and smartphone compatibility have not yet been announced.