But the new gadget onslaught seems the biggest ever. Cadillac, for example, hopes that night vision will help it overtake the European and Japanese marques that now dominate the luxury segment. Safety is often a driving force behind the innovations. Ford has introduced a rear-bumper parking assistance device in its Windstar minivan that uses sonar to help you back into tight spaces. Its beeps become increasingly ear-jarring if you come too close.
Comfort also inspires new products.
Communication and entertainment features are multiplying like SUVs at a suburban soccer match. More manufacturers ranging from General Motors to BMW are offering global positioning systems, which pinpoint your location within 100 feet using satellites, conveying the information over a cell phone or displaying it on a screen. GM's OnStar system, which links drivers to advisers who provide everything from directions to emergency assistance via a dedicated cell-phone network, is standard equipment on Cadillac's new Escalade sport utility. Ford's Visteon auto-parts unit just announced a deal with Nintendo to install consoles between the two front seats that the kids can use to play Donkey Kong and Super Mario. That will be available in April.