Volvo’s optional Personal Car Communicator could display the car’s lock and alarm status on its key fob. Equipped vehicles also had a heartbeat sensor that could warn an approaching owner
A vehicle identification number has the charm of a password printed by a malfunctioning office computer. It is long, awkward to recite and generally ignored until an insurer, parts supplier or registr
Open the door of certain 1980s or early 1990s cars and a small buckle begins travelling along the roofline. Sit down, close the door and the shoulder belt glides toward the B-pillar, hopefully passi
A driver can move between unfamiliar modern cars and still understand the transmission selector within seconds. Park sits at one end, followed by Reverse, Neutral and Drive. Lower ranges, manual modes
A car sits empty in the driveway, engine off and doors locked, yet all three brake lights are glowing as though an invisible driver has a foot planted on the pedal. It looks like a wiring problem. Pos
A used car with gleaming paint, freshly shampooed carpets, and half a dozen pine-scented air fresheners may look beautifully prepared for sale. Or it may be trying much too hard. Flood-damaged
A tire can look almost offensively healthy for its age. The tread grooves are deep. There are no nails in sight. The sidewalls still turn glossy after a wash, and the car has covered so few miles th
Most drivers assume they would know if something serious was wrong with their car. That seems fair. If a vehicle has a safety problem, surely someone would call, email, text, send a giant red enve
Most people have seen their car’s VIN number a hundred times and never once cared about it. It’s just... there. Sitting at the bottom corner of the windshield collecting dust while
Ever notice those five amber lights sitting on top of massive pickup trucks and wonder what they're actually for? Turns out, they're not there to look tough – they're legally require