DITCHING MEAN FOR LEAN: COMFORT IN NEW CAR INTERIORS MAKES TRAFFIC EASIER TO BEAR.Byline: Lisa Mascaro Staff Writer If you've been driving around town in one of those decade-old beaters, the new models at the annual auto show An auto show, or motor show, is a public exhibition of current automobile models, debuts, concept cars, or out-of-production classics. It is commonly attended by automobile manufacturers. Most auto shows occur once or twice a year. in the Los Angeles Convention Center The Los Angeles Convention Center (abbreviated LACC) is a convention center in downtown Los Angeles. The LACC hosts annual events such as the Greater Los Angeles Auto Show, and was best known to video games fans as host to E3 until its cessation in 2006. offer a glimpse of how the other half lives How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York (1890) was a pioneering work of photojournalism by Jacob Riis, documenting the squalid living conditions in New York City slums in the 1880s. - and drives. There are personal DVD players for just about every passenger, as well as colorful dashboard computers to direct the driver to a specific destination - whether it's the nearest gas station or a sports stadium across town. For a little more cash, you can get real-time road reports from an orbiting satellite that knows your whereabouts and alerts you to the traffic jam up ahead - after it turns down your radio. Then there are the creature comforts to make it easier to tolerate L.A.'s traffic-choked freeways. Heated steering wheels for those chilly mornings. Seat coolers to freshen fresh·en v. fresh·ened, fresh·en·ing, fresh·ens v.intr. 1. To become fresh, as in vigor or appearance: freshened up after the day's work. 2. the leather broiled broil 1 v. broiled, broil·ing, broils v.tr. 1. To cook by direct radiant heat, as over a grill or under an electric element. 2. To expose to great heat. v. by the hot Southern California sun The Southern California Sun were an American football team based out of Anaheim, California that played in the World Football League in 1974 and 1975. Their records were 13-7 in 1974 and 7-5 in 1975. Their home stadium was Anaheim Stadium. . And puddle lamps to help you avoid the messy gutter when you step out of your sport utility vehicle. ``When you're in a city like Los Angeles and stuck in gridlock Gridlock A government, business or institution's inability to function at a normal level due either to complex or conflicting procedures within the administrative framework or to impending change in the business. , these are the features that are attractive,'' said Paul McGrath, a product specialist for Audi. ``It's demand - people are demanding it,'' he said. ``You're going to have a lot of amenities in your car that you have in your house.'' Many features are standard on luxury vehicles that sell for about $50,000. Others can be had for a price. For instance, Audi charges $2,400 for a technology package that includes the satellite radio, a side-assist mirror that alerts you to a car in your blind spot and a camera that displays what's behind as you reverse. But some features aren't just for Cadillacs any more. The Hyundai Sonata, at under $23,000, comes with seat warmers. The manufacturer's high-end Azera, new this year, comes with buttons that allow the mirror, pedal and seat positions to be set for each driver. ``We continue to push the bounds of what people perceive as the necessary levels of luxury,'' said Hyundai spokesman Kevin Oates. ``Manufacturers keep trying to infuse in·fuse v. 1. To steep or soak without boiling in order to extract soluble elements or active principles. 2. To introduce a solution into the body through a vein for therapeutic purposes. cars with more and more comfort, and consumers love it.'' The list goes on: The smart key that unlocks the door without having to insert it in the lock. Remote-access controls to warm or cool the car interior before you climb in. Charcoal filters purify the air inside. The $60,000 Cadillac Escalade squirts hot water to wash the more stubborn gunk off the windshield. In the new Subaru Tribeca, soccer moms can let the kids plug in iPods or PlayStations in the ``way-back'' - the third row of seats. Wireless headsets keep the car quiet so ``if mom's stuck in traffic and she's stressing in traffic, she doesn't even have to listen,'' said Subaru product specialist Neechy Dumas. But while being stuck in Los Angeles congestion The condition of a network when there is not enough bandwidth to support the current traffic load. congestion - When the offered load of a data communication path exceeds the capacity. may have never been so nice, Honda spokesman Sage Marie notes that another kind of nice can be found behind the wheel of the new 2006 Civic - the ever-popular but affordable sedan - which is getting 40 highway mpg. ``For somebody who spends a lot of time on the road, that translates to a lot of money.'' Lisa Mascaro, (818) 713-3761 lisa.mascaro(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: (color) In the new Subaru Tribeca, a soccer mom can get directions from a personal computer and enjoy her DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. . Gus Ruelas/Staff Photographer |
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