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Twelve car gadgets you can't live without

By Rory Reid on 26 March 2009, 5:59pm

"Are we there yet?" "No, if we were, we wouldn't still be driving, you annoying little gimp." God bless Daddy -- he had a way with words. Long car journeys cause boredom, tempers flare and next thing you know, you're explaining to a policeman why you left your four-year-old on the hard shoulder. Here are the three coolest gadgets that'll keep you entertained -- and out of jail -- on your next road trip.

Digital TV
Digital Freeview in the Jaguar XF. Watching Deal or No Deal in your car might seem like something only the Jetson family could do, but it's available right now. We're not just talking about a pre-recorded DVDs either -- several cars are popping up with full-on integrated Freeview digital TV systems. Manufacturers tend to discourage watching while driving, so most will only play the audio portion of the broadcast while the vehicle is in motion. There are ways around this, however, as we're sure your friendly neighbourhood grease monkey will testify.
Available in: Jaguar XF

MP3 playback
The Fiat 500's USB port reads MP3s. There's half a zillion ways to enjoy MP3 music in your motor. Most of these, including FM radio transmitters and auxiliary inputs, either sound rubbish, or -- in the case of MP3 CDs -- are a pain in the backside. We recommend going for cars with a pre-installed iPod connector, or better still, get a car with a built-in media system. These either contain a built-in hard drive, or a USB port that lets you access your music on the move.
See it in action: Fiat 500

Surround sound
The Jaguar XKR boasts a Bowers & Wilkins Dolby Pro Logic II sound system. Forget two-channel stereo sounds. If your car isn't packing Dolby Pro Logic II, you might as well be listening to vinyl. Dolby turns stereo audio from music and movies into five playback channels to drown you in sound. Believe it or not, it was a boring old Volvo C70 that first shipped with Dolby Surround Pro Logic in 1997. Rockford Fosgate followed that up with a Dolby Pro Logic II aftermarket product you could install yourself, before the Volvo CX90 4x4 delivered this feature as a factory-fitted option.
See it in action: Jaguar XKR

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