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W e’re driving up an unusual avenue checking on all kinds of car features that would keep even the most unsavvy car person amazed!

SAFETY FEATURES

These days all these safety features are standard and it doesn’t seem like there are any safety features left to invent… That’s why automakers are constantly outdoing themselves trying to come up with solutions to things we never considered much of a problem in the first place. For example…

CLEAN ON THE GO

If you’ve ever taken a road trip with your family you know that your car gets crummier and messier by the second. Just to get back to your seat after a rest stop you have to climb over piles of empty chip bags discarded juice boxes lollipop sticks cookie crumbs and sandwich crusts etc. Now however instead of saying “We’ll clean the car when we get home ” you might be able to clean it on the highway! The 2014 and 2015 Honda Odyssey and the Chrysler Pacifica come with built-in vacuum cleaners complete with a long hose to reach all those crumbs.

WINDING DOWN

If you’ve ever seen drivers get tense when they drive maybe you should suggest the Mercedes-Benz S-Class line. While all the kids are arguing in the backseat about which song they want to listen to next during car pool the driver can enjoy a deep-tissue massage — given by his very own seat.

OPEN-CLOSE

In some cars the top goes down so you can feel the wind whip through your hair as your drive. (Not so popular in our crowd as wind isn’t too friendly to sheitels and yarmulkes…) Still if you do decide to get this feature you might want to get the 2010 Mini Cooper which includes an “Openometer” — a small gauge on the dashboard that tells you exactly how long the top has been down.

MOVE ON BACK

Have you ever sat in the passenger seat or right behind it and realized your legs are squashed? In the olden days the driver would have to stop the car get out of his seat and push the lever that would bring his seat forward. Great news! In certain BMW 7-Series models a button allows the driver to move the passenger seat forward or back without getting out of his seat creating more leg room for either the front-seat passenger or the passenger sitting behind him. This feature is known as the rather regal-sounding “Gentleman Function.”