By BILL VLASIC

Automakers have long tried to make the car a relaxing sanctuary that eases the stress of overcrowded highways and gridlocked traffic.
But while cushy seats and big stereos once defined a sweet ride, consumers today travel in veritable living rooms on wheels. From the smallest compact to the biggest pickup, vehicles are equipped with technology and creature comforts barely imaginable a few years ago. The car has become a cocoon of connectivity, entertainment and convenience, with Internet hookups in the dashboard, DVD players in headrests and refrigerators in the console.
“Customers are expecting their vehicles to keep up with what’s going on in their homes, whether it’s computers, audio equipment or even home theaters,” said Jim Buczkowski, head of electronic systems engineering for the Ford Motor Company.
And with car sales falling and American automakers reeling from record losses, new high-tech features are considered critical to bolstering the industry’s balance sheets. “It’s a source of revenues to the carmakers that they are going to exploit to the fullest,” said Joseph Phillippi, a principal in the firm AutoTrends Consulting in Short Hills, New Jersey.
The days when consumers evaluated cars strictly on design, performance and safety features are fading fast.
“Manufacturers all make cars that are safe, reliable, comfortable and have nice design features,” said Karl Brauer, editor of the automotive research site Edmunds. com. “Technology is really becoming one of the last points of differentiation.”
Five years ago, no car models could connect to an iPod, according to Edmunds. com. Now there are 257 models that can hook up to Apple’s music player.
During that period, the number of models with DVD entertainment systems has more than doubled. In 2003, there were 40 models available with satellite radio systems. This year, it’s 260.
The list goes on, including Blue tooth telephone connections, dashboard navigation systems, and heated seats, mirrors and cup holders. In August, Chrysler introduced a cellular and wireless Internet hotspot that lets anyone in the car surf the World Wide Web.
Such extras, once available only in expensive luxury cars, have found their way into the mass market.
“Auto companies are selling economy cars with the same luxury features that started out in the Lexuses and Audis,” Mr. Brauer said. “It allows consumers to personalize their cars without going to some specialty shop.”
The carmakers have learned that older consumers want features that appeal to their families. “They want to make sure their children or grandchildren are comfortable and compliant in the vehicle,” said Steve Bartoli, Chrysler’s vice president for global product marketing.
Those under 30, he said, are more interested in music, Web access and voice-activated phone and entertainment systems. Customization of a car is now an integral part of the showroom experience. Toyota’s Scion brand was a pioneer in giving customers a wide range of options to add . Buyers can choose not only elaborate sound systems tailored to the vehicle, but can also decorate it with color-coordinated door handles and gauges. Industry analysts predict that consumers may even be able to change body styles on a vehicle.
For now, though, consumers will have to be satisfied with loading up the interiors of their vehicles with the comforts of home. When Vadim Mitlitski went car shopping, he chose a Buick Enclave CXL - a crossover vehicle, combining features of an S.U.V. and a minivan - with parking sensors, satellite radio, a tire monitoring system and, most important, a dualscreen DVD player for the rear seats.
“Having two kids and in-laws, I wanted something that would keep everybody entertained on long rides,” said Mr. Mitlitski, a 39-year-old research scientist from North Bergen, New Jersey.
He said playing a video for his children in the car was no different from gathering the family to watch television after dinner at home. “Actually, the only difference is my couch is not heated at home like my car seats,” he said.