每日英语：Six Ways to Modernize Your Car

AS AUTO MAKERS ADD far-out features to the latest cars at warp speed--everything from futuristic heads-up displays to simple perks like hands-free calling--the appeal of the newest showroom tech can be hard to resist. But a car, unlike a smartphone, doesn't need to be replaced every two years. In fact, older cars are maintaining pride of place in American garages. The median age of an automobile on the road is now over 11 years, the highest it's ever been, according to a study by the automotive research firm R.L. Polk. Thanks to improved reliability and corrosion resistance, hitting the 150,000-mile mark no longer merits a champagne toast.

futuristic：未来主义的      perks：特权，额外津贴　　garage:车库，汽车修理厂      corrosion：腐蚀，衰败

Of course, older cars don't have all the latest digital bells and whistles, like rearview cameras or Pandora radio on the dash. But they easily can: Simple- or inexpensive-to-install upgrades can put a dated car in line, tech-wise, with a 2014 model--and, in a few cases, beyond. The latest gadgets, like Automatic and Viper SmartStart, can pinpoint the location of your vehicle in a parking lot, and tell you if your teenager has been speeding, even when you're 2,000 miles away.

whistles：汽笛，口哨声      rearview：后视镜

These upgrades might not yet offer the most bleeding-edge features found on new cars (there isn't an add-on, yet, that will steer your car back into its lane should you meander out), but they can at least make your vehicle play nice with your smartphone.

Check your speed from your windshield 

A windscreen overlaid with data might seem like the fantastic future--unless you've visited a car dealership recently. So-called 'heads-up displays'--which show your car's speed, and more recently, the next turn in your GPS driving directions--have appeared in an increasing number of mostly higher-end models from Audi, BMW and GM over the past few years. But improvements in legibility and light quality (and cheaper hardware) have more car makers putting them in new models--even in affordable cars like the 2014 Mazda3.

windshield：挡风玻璃           dealership：代理权，代理商     legibility：易读性

You can get a rudimentary but still pretty cool version of the tech with the Garmin Head-Up Display Plus ($180, garmin.com ). This cassette-tape-size gadget sits on the dash and projects onto a film that you affix to the bottom part of the windscreen (or a small, clear lens attached to the front of the device). Garmin's display doesn't have its own GPS, but pulls data from a Garmin navigation app running on your smartphone to show your current speed, turn-by-turn directions and expected arrival time. If you're looking for a way to make your drive time feel like a 1980s videogame, this is it.

rudimentary：基本的，初步的      affix：粘上，署名

Place a phone call hands-free 

Taking a call over your smartphone's speakerphone while driving requires you to hold the device in one hand--illegal in more than 40 states--or shout into the cup holder where you've tossed the phone. Most new cars have integrated Bluetooth speakerphones, but turning an older car into a 65-mile-per-hour telephone booth is easy: Strap the SuperTooth HD ($90, supertooth.net ) to your visor. This rechargeable, garage-door-opener-size speakerphone connects to both smart and dumb phones over Bluetooth. Its two onboard mics, each with a digital noise canceller optimized for cars, ensure you won't sound like you're screaming in a wind tunnel when you place a call. For a monthly fee, you can even set the Supertooth HD to send texts or emails that you dictate while driving.

integrate：整合，一体化

Upgrade your in-dash display 

Plenty of factory-fresh cars boast 'navitainment' systems with screens the size of Costco-special HDTVs. (Tesla, we're looking at you.) But bringing the touch-tastic experience to your older ride is as simple as swapping out its stereo with the Pioneer AVIC-8000NEX ($1,400, pioneerelectronics.com ), available next month. It has a 7-inch touch screen--about the size of a small tablet computer--and can pipe tunes from your phone via Bluetooth as well as run apps for displaying traffic, gas prices or photos of your dog from your phone. If you don't need the fancy display, upgrade to an inexpensive Bluetooth-enabled receiver. Several brands, including Alpine and Kenwood, make models for under $150. The Sony MEX-N5000BT ($130, store.sony.com ), which comes out in March, is notable because it allows you to pair an NFC-enabled smartphone by touching the two devices together.

View what's behind you 

Over half of new cars sold today have rearview cameras, which can help you squeeze into tighter parking spots and, more importantly, might prevent you from accidentally hitting someone as you back out of your driveway. While the Garmin Nuvi 2798LMT ($400, garmin.com ), like most aftermarket cams, requires a dedicated screen on your dash, it also does double duty as a GPS. The system includes a wireless camera, powered by your car's rear-light circuit, that beams its image to the 7-inch display when you put your car in reverse. Setup is simple, but Garmin recommends a professional install.

squeeze into：挤入，硬塞进

Get detailed diagnostics 

New cars inform you in plain English when something isn't right, letting you know if a problem is as simple as a loose fuel cap, or more significant, like a misfiring cylinder. Older cars, though, use the much more obscure 'Check Engine' light for problems both minor and catastrophic. Luckily there's a fix for most cars model-year 1996 and newer: Automatic ($100, automatic.com ) plugs into what's known as an OBD-II port, usually located just below the steering wheel, to pull the same digital codes from your car that a mechanic would. Then its companion iOS app (an Android version is coming soon) will tell you what to do about them. The sensor also logs stats on your acceleration, deceleration and fuel economy to issue a driving report card of sorts that may inform you, among other things, that you've got a lead foot and should ease up a bit on the gas pedal.

diagnostic：诊断结论      obscure：昏暗的，朦胧的，晦涩的       catastrophic：灾难的，悲惨的

gas pedal：油门，加速器

Start your ignition remotely 

Keyless entry systems allow you to lock and unlock your car remotely or warm it up from afar with your key fob, but the Viper SmartStart VSS5000 ($500, viper.com ) goes several miles beyond. The professionally installed system talks to a smartphone app (for Android, BlackBerry, iOS and Windows Phone) that allows you to lock, unlock or start the car from your smartphone, even using voice commands if you like. That means you could pop the trunk of your car in Los Angeles from across the country in Manhattan--or anywhere else you and your car have cellular access.

ignition：点火，点燃         cellular：移动电话，细胞单元