The vertical or sometimes diagonal member located at the extreme rear of station wagons, minivans and SUVs that supports the roof.

A transmission shift lever mounted (you guessed it) on the dashboard, typically somewhere around the center stack. This placement is more common in SUVs and minivans, because these vehicles have seats that tend to sit higher off the floor, and there’s often no transmission tunnel to raise the floor level between the seats.

This mirror has two settings for optimal (and comfortable) rear vision during day and night driving. A toggle switch on the rearview mirror housing allows the driver to adjust the mirror between the two settings.

Designed to help make the vehicle more visible on the road, Daytime Running Lights activate either the headlamps at reduced intensity or both turn-signal lamps during daylight conditions.

Sometimes you need to secure something in the bed of your truck, but there’s no cleat or hook nearby. That’s where the Deck Rail System comes in. This available feature boasts a robust C-channel frame mounted on the inside of the left- and right-side deck rails as well as the forward deck rail. Each C-channel has two sliding, lockable tie-down cleats. Combined with D-ring tie-downs on the cargo floor, the Deck Rail System offers exceptional versatility for securing cargo in the bed.

One of the unsung heroes of your vehicle’s drivetrain. It splits power 180 degrees between the wheels or axles and also allows the drive wheels to be mechanically attached, yet still spin at different speeds when cornering or turning. It is located between the drive wheels on a front- or rear-wheel-drive vehicle, or between the front and rear axles on a four-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive vehicle.

Digital age, digital gauge, right? These use a liquid crystal display (LCD) that can provide large, highly visible readouts for vehicle speed, engine speed, engine temperature and fuel level. Additional information such as odometer readings and transmission gear selection may also be displayed on an LCD digital instrument panel. Digital gauges have the added benefit of low energy consumption because LCD displays use very little electricity.

Puts the fuel right where your engine wants it. Compared to a conventional fuel injection system, which sprays fuel into the intake manifold ahead of intake valves, a direct injection system uses an injector positioned next to the intake valve. It sprays fuel directly into the cylinder—and with pressure as high as 2000 psi, it delivers finely atomized fuel that burns more completely. Direct injection also cools the combustion chamber, which reduces combustion temperature and allows the engine to be designed with a higher compression ratio—and that improves both power and efficiency.

This system employs sensors that live in each wheel and exist to monitor tire air pressure and air temperature. If the sensor detects a tire is critically low in air pressure, it sends a radio signal to a central ECU, which in turn illuminates a warning light on the instrument panel. A TPMS is an early-warning system engineered to help drivers avoid blowouts or the unstable handling that can accompany underinflated tires. It does not eliminate the need to periodically check tire pressure and should not be relied on as a tire maintenance system.

The ruler of the brake world. As its name implies, a disc brake is a steel disc (also known as a “rotor”) attached to the vehicle’s wheel hub. When the driver steps on the brake pedal, hydraulic pressure acts on the brake calipers to press the brake pads into contact with the disc, creating clamping force to slow the wheel.

A dual-antenna system with real smarts. It allows the tuner in the audio head unit to compare the signal strength received by each antenna and then select the one with the best reception. A diversity system can combine a variety of antennas: a conventional mast antenna and an in-glass antenna; a roof-mounted short-pole antenna and an in-glass antenna; or on many SUVs, two in-glass antennas located on the rear window and a quarter window.

Hate to brag…but all Toyota engines use a Double Overhead Camshaft (DOHC) cylinder head design (sometimes referred to as “Double Overhead Cam”). DOHC means that the cylinder head (or cylinder heads in V6 or V8 engines) has two camshafts: one to open the intake valves, and another to open the exhaust valves. Unlike single overhead cam (SOHC) designs, with one cam actuating both intake and exhaust valves, a DOHC design uses fewer moving parts for reduced friction and more power.

Keeps your Toyota truck lookin’ good. With an inner wall for the cargo bed, and an outer wall that forms the rear fender, this design prevents the outer side body panels from getting damaged if a heavy load were to shift and slam into a sidewall.

Behold the modern suspension. It uses two A-shaped arms to help locate, align and control the position of a wheel. With two A-arms at work, it’s easier to keep the tire perpendicular with the road while the vehicle is cornering or traveling over uneven surfaces.

Gravity, schmavity. DAC automatically and selectively applies the brakes to help a 4WD vehicle “creep” down steep and/or slippery hills at a controlled speed of two to four mph. Using the ABS wheel-speed sensors and brake actuator, DAC mimics the type of engine braking that was once only available on vehicles with a 2-speed transfer case and very low gearing. DAC is activated by a button, and on vehicles with a 2-speed transfer case, only operates in low range.

Used in rear-wheel-drive and 4WD vehicles, this rotating, tubular driveline member forms the mechanical connection between the transmission or transfer case and the vehicle’s differential(s).

Enter the age of the smart transmission. This technology enables the automatic transmission to “learn” the way you are driving and change its shift timing and performance in real time.

These airbags can deploy at full or reduced pressure, depending on the severity of the collision and the position of the driver’s seat. When the dual stage system detects a frontal collision, it judges the severity of the impact and adjusts the inflation output accordingly. For example, in a lower-speed impact, the airbags may inflate at a lower speed with slightly less pressure, which can help reduce secondary passenger injury. The dual stage feature can also reduce airbag deployment force if it detects that the driver’s seat is positioned close to the steering wheel.

A driver’s-side airbag located below the steering column, just ahead of the driver’s legs, that deploys from underneath the dashboard. In the event of certain severe frontal collisions, this airbag inflates to receive the impact of the driver’s lower body as he or she shifts forward.

Perhaps it should be called “The Peacekeeper.” This system automatically adjusts the preferred power-adjustable seat and mirror settings for up to three separate drivers. No need to make numerous seat and mirror adjustments every time a different family member drives—and vehicles with the Smart Key System [4] can even begin automatically adjusting the seat and mirrors as soon as the doors are unlocked. Each individual transmitter can be programmed for a specific power-adjustable seat and mirror setting that is immediately triggered when the doors are unlocked or opened.

More accurately known as auxiliary high-beam lamps, these additional lights turn day into night with the flick of a switch. Unlike fog lamps, which are mounted low and project a beam relatively close to the vehicle, driving lights throw a bright beam far down the road, so they are useful only in situations where they cannot blind oncoming traffic. Typical uses would be in remote areas such as mountains or deserts.

A simple, low-cost and low-maintenance brake design that utilizes a brake “drum” attached to the vehicle’s wheel hub. When the driver steps on the brake pedal, hydraulic fluid acts on a piston that forces semicircular “brake shoes” outward into contact with the inside diameter, creating friction that slows the wheel. When the driver steps off the brake pedal, springs contract the cylinder and pull the shoes away from the drum so the wheel can resume rolling.

Gives the engine what it wants, when it wants it, always. Toyota’s Dual VVT-i system uses cam-phasing technology to adjust the intake and exhaust valve timing based on engine speed, engine temperature, engine intake airflow, throttle position and vehicle speed. The result? Maximum efficiency and power.

You like it around 70 degrees F. Your copilot likes it around 73. With dual zone climate control, you can have it both ways. By having the dashboard vents and floor vents divided into separate left- and right-side systems, and with individual left- and right-side temperature controls, the driver and front passenger can warm or cool the airflow on their own side of the vehicle.

When you really want to spoil your passengers, this is the system for you. With the rear climate controls, second-row passengers can adjust rear-seat temperature, fan speed and vent position. In addition, the systems often include a rear air conditioning evaporator to help cool and dehumidify rear airflow, along with a separate heater core, which allows for more effective rear heating.

A vehicle’s climate control system continuously draws in outside air, which may or may not be so clean. This filter removes dust, pollen and other foreign particles before they reach the passenger compartment. Located in the climate control duct behind the glove box, the filter is made of polyester and includes two layers of filtering material. The first layer captures large particles such as dust and dirt, and the second layer helps capture microscopic particles such as pollen and smoke.

These systems hold their map data on a DVD instead of a hard drive. The DVD system offers rapid access to map, address and point-of-interest information.

Think of it as cruise control for the space age. Like ordinary cruise control, DLCC is designed to maintain a preset vehicle speed–but it also uses a front-mounted laser sensor to detect and help maintain a preset distance between your vehicle and the vehicle traveling in front of you on the highway. If the laser sensor detects a vehicle within a preset distance, it can automatically reduce engine power and may even apply the brakes to help slow the vehicle and maintain the preset space. If the vehicle ahead pulls over or accelerates, DLCC can automatically accelerate back to the preset speed.

As if Prius weren’t smart enough, this available feature helps to automatically maintain distance between Prius and the vehicle traveling ahead of it. When cruising at speeds above 25 mph, a radar sensor located behind the front logo badge of Prius projects a millimeter wave radar beam up to a range of nearly 400 feet. If the beam strikes a vehicle ahead, it bounces back to Prius and is collected by a receiver built into the sensor. The data is then analyzed, and signals are sent to the throttle, transmission and–if needed–brakes to maintain distance between the two vehicles.