Top 5 Car Gadgets

5: Keyless Ignition

John Book, the police officer that we're imagining has been
living in Amish society since the 1980s, is probably used to
shouting, "Throw me the keys!" to a fellow cop so that he can
hop in a car and chase after bad guys and ruffians. That's
why it will totally blow John Book's mind to know that now he
doesn't need to do any such thing.

Many cars have remote ignition, which is particularly helpful
on a winter day. With that gadget, you can push a button and
-- kazam! -- the car starts heating up for you, while
simultaneously locking the doors so no bad guys can steal it.
But if you really want to keep your hands free to battle
corruption, you should go keyless. With a keyless ignition
system, you keep a key fob in your pocket. A sensor will
detect the key fob's presence in the car and start; all the
driver has to do is push a button on the dash and press the
brake.

Crime fighters like John Book will be happy to know that this
system deters car thieves because of the personalized nature
of the fob codes and the system that reads them. Beyond just
battling hooligans, this system could also have benefits for
those with arthritis.

4: Back-up Parking Camera

As fans of 1985's "Witness" will remember, John Book goes to
great lengths to protect the Amish child turned star witness
in a murder case. It stands to r­eason that he'd work to
ensure the safety of other children in our make-believe
"Witness" sequel, which is why John Book will just love our
next car gadget: back-up parking cameras. According to safety
advocacy group Kids and Cars, two children are killed and 48
children are seriously injured every week because a driver
that was backing up didn't see them. It's not that these
drivers are lazy or bad people, it's just that there's
a blind spot when a car is reversing that's perfect for
unknowing children to play in.

Enter back-up parking cameras. These cameras send live images
of what's behind the car to a screen on the dashboard; the
image comes up as soon as the driver puts it into reverse.
And even if no children, pets or bad guys are hiding behind
your vehicle, it still provides a handy way to parallel park
perfectly or to back your vehicle up to a trailer hitch. This
is a gadget that comes ready-installed in some vehicles, but
wireless and wired versions are available as well.

3: Bluetooth

Uh-oh, a bad guy is calling our modern-turned-Amish-turned-
modern-again hero John Book with his ransom demands, but John
Book is driving in a state where it's illegal to answer
a cell phone unless he's using a hands-free device. Bluetooth
to the rescue! While the John Book of old would have used
a pay phone, now he doesn't have to leave the comfort of his
car to take and make important phone calls. But since safety
is still our hero's No. 1 priority, he uses a Bluetooth
hands-free unit.

Bluetooth is a wireless signal that allows compatible devices
to communicate with each other. In this instance, John Book
has the gadgets that make his car and his phone sync up. Some
cars come equipped with Bluetooth, though it's also possible
to buy a receiver that makes your car a hands-free calling
zone. Once connected, drivers can make phone calls simply by
saying the name of the person they're trying to call. They
hear the other person speak through the car's speakers.

2: Navigation System

The old days of reading a map or driving around in circles
are over -- with a navigation system, you can get
turn-by-turn directions from Point A to Point B. When you
plug in a start and end point, a navigation device uses
information from governmental positioning satellites to get
you where you want to go. Just follow the prompts of your
friendly guide (some models let you pick the voice!) and
you're on your way. This gadget can span the spectrum of
price points, with less expensive models that can be attached
to a dashboard to higher priced options that are factory
installed. Some navigation gadgets also include MP3 players
and directories to help you find the nearest pizza joint.

Now, if you've been in the Amish community since the
mid-1980s, which is the assumption we're making about John
Book, then you likely think of real-time traffic information
as a person yelling out that cows are in the road. But
real-time information, of the sort that could help you plan
an alternate route home, is the next step for these handy
gadgets. Soon, your navigation system will be able to
determine car accidents on your route home or re-route you to
avoid holiday traffic.

1: iPod Connections

In "Witness," John Book makes a joke that none of the Amish
get when he references a coffee commercial. But with all the
car gadgets that play music, no one ever has to hear
a commercial again. One example is satellite radio, which
offers more channels than you can shake a stick at and is
available for a monthly subscription rate. (There's even an
80s music option for John Book.)

But many people have already made a musical commitment to
their iPods, and they want to be able to take that music
anywhere, even their cars. An MP3 player connection is
becoming standard in many vehicles, but some car makers are
going specifically after those Apple fans. An iPod-specific
connection allows the driver to select iPod tracks through
the car's stereo system, sometimes from the steering wheel
itself.