Some of the newer digital models have 360-degree scanning, for example, which allows the device to scan automatically for a dominant voice say, the back-seat driver and emphasize the sound coming from there.

WSJ: Conquering Retirement: Hearing-Aid Shopping Tips

The taxi had been stopped at a light with a passenger in the back when the suspect allegedly entered the front seat and struck the driver in the face, the official said.

WSJ: A Suspected 'Taxijacking' Ends in N.J.

Google experimented a lot during that decade, and now that Page is back in the driver's seat, he appears to have gotten that out of his system.

CNN: 4 big moves Google should make in 2012

Though the kids sit in the driver's seat and even steer the car sideways, a hidden rail underneath always guides them back to the middle.

WSJ: Are Smart Gadgets Making Us Dumb?

The taxi driver who finally chauffeured me home was pleasant enough, although a stark notice on the back of the seat reminded me that it would not be wise to push my luck.

BBC: In Paris, the customer is not always right