What it is: Some automotive-care products have found an alternate life outside the garage as home-cleaning tools. Additionally, some kitchen items can help keep grime off cars.

What It Is: Auto makers are turning to the fashion world to inject some hipness into their brands and distinguish themselves as car features and reliability become more standardized. But recent collaborations are straying further outside the practice of merely tapping a designer to suggest color combinations and fabrics. In the 1970s, fashion designers like Emilio Pucci, Bill Blass, Hubert de Givenchy as well as mainstream brands like Levi's created special-edition interiors and color-combinations for brands such as Lincoln's Mark series and the AMC Gremlin. Now, the collaboration between the two industries includes unique marketing efforts like running shoes with auto-design styling.

Recycled bag from the Highway collection What It Is: Artists and designers are turning used auto parts into unique, eco-friendly gifts that appeal to gearheads and fashionistas alike.

Ferragamo's GranTurismo luggage set What It Is: Auto makers have long worked with other companies to create accessories like watches, outerwear, bags and key chains that invoke popular car brands.

Now, some car companies are sending out uber-luxury products that might surprise even the diehard car enthusiast.

What It Is: Customizable model cars that can entertain a child as well as spruce up a cubicle might be this season's all-ages holiday hit.

These toys could bring back the old-fashioned enjoyment of model building, an activity that is increasingly scarce in these videogame times.

Navigon 7100's Reality-View What It Is: The newest generation of GPS tools is packed with multimedia functions. No longer mere direction-givers, high-end navigators are bundling hands-free phone-calling, music-playing and traffic-warning tricks into one sleek device.

What It Is: Portable car-seat massagers aim to lessen the effects of traffic and bad drivers by kneading away your stress as you drive. The cushions are strapped or placed on any car seat, and are powered by the cigarette adapter. The massagers usually have several settings and muscle locations to choose from. Some of the massagers are heated.

Maserati's high-resolution graphics. What It Is: The online car configurator might be the latest in guilty office-hours pleasures. Moving beyond the typical online pricing tools, nearly all auto makers host online configurators where potential customers can customize the new car of their dreams. It's also very easy to print or email your dream car specs to a dealer and see how much it would cost to make that car a reality in your driveway. (In fact, that's the whole point.) Some auto makers have created car-building programs that mimic the visuals (and some of the fun) of videogames.

What It Is: Auto makers release limited-run or special-edition colors as a way to test new car-color trends; colors that prove popular with consumers eventually show up on multiple models.

Auto makers also pay attention when one-off colors on concept cars generate interest at auto shows.

What It Is: Picnics and beach parties could get a lot more memorable with new sound systems that let tailgaters tap their inner DJs. Auto makers are equipping some vehicles with souped-up cargo-area speakers and audio controls that allow for back-door song adjustments.

What It Is: Summer marks the start of road-trip season, where driving with your head -- and tongue -- out the window would tempt any dog. But pets roaming free in cars face the same dangers as passengers who don't buckle up. There are a number of pet-restraining options, including mini seatbelts and harnesses, and even booster seats for small dogs.
There are also products for drivers worried about pet hair and scratches in their cars.

What It Is: Drivers are getting more help with staying safe on the road.
Cutting-edge automotive-safety technology gives drivers night vision, or sends alerts if the car moves too close to other objects or drifts outside its lane. Some systems can also make sure the driver signals properly.

What It Is: As gadget-laden consumers rely more on their car batteries to power up, two-prong power outlets and strips like the ones found in homes are cropping up in cars.

What It Is: Intimidating flames and sleek racing stripes are perennial favorites among drivers wishing to jazz up their cars. For those looking to use their car as a canvas without the permanence of paint, there are a variety of stick-on options, ranging from checkerboard swooshes, vibrant daisies and even do-it-yourself designs.

What It Is: As more cars feature cutting-edge technology, some auto makers are tempering all the new digital amenities with touches of retro styling borrowed from classic models.

What It Is: Auto makers are revamping the windshield wipers on their vehicles to make them work more efficiently or last longer.

The new wipers include those that cling to the glass for a more precise job or reposition themselves to avoid getting stuck in icy weather.

What It Is: So you're sitting in traffic and the car behind you is feeling a little antsy. The driver leans on the horn and you hear not a harsh toot but a lion's growl.

Fans of cellphone ringtones have a new outlet for self-expression: Drivers now can update their car horns with downloadable tones, including libraries of songs.

Some horns can even be equipped with recording capabilities.

What It Is: Drivers no longer have to rely on a hand wave or a bumper sticker to send a message to fellow motorists.

Car-to-car messaging products range from cute light-up smiley faces to customizable electronic mini-billboards.

You also can have an actual conversation with another motorist on a shared, anonymous cellular service that mixes social networking and driving.

What Is It: Windshields now do more than provide a clear view of the road.

Laminated windshields reflect harmful UV rays, reducing exposure to skin-damaging sunlight and keeping car interiors cooler.

Several sporty 2007 models have sharp-angled windshields that improve a car's aerodynamics.

What Is It: Taking a cue from the fashion world, luxury-car makers are using cashmere or cashmere-like materials to give their vehicles a little more panache.

Several models offer interior options that include "cashmere leather," which refers to the leather's caramel hue as well as its softness. Rolls-Royce incorporates actual cashmere in a convertible top.

Aromatherapy burns rubber. What Is It: Car features or products for women once went no further than soft-lit mirrors. Here are a few products women might appreciate.

From the racing world, where a steady foot on the pedals is vital, come no-slip brake pedals that make driving with high heels easier. Auto emergency kits not only include the usual tools, but also instructions for changing a tire, among other things. Some kits also come with membership with an auto-safety club.

Lavender-scented tires bring aromatherapy to your garage.

What It Is: While Starbucks and universities are well-known public Wi-Fi hot spots, travelers and workers on the go might not always know where to find a reliable signal on the road. Some products help parked drivers harness the Internet in the car via a wireless router in the trunk or on the backseat. Other products act like Wi-Fi-divining rods and light up when a hot spot is near.