Winter's coming. That means stocking up on de-icer fluid for the windshield washer reservoir and digging out the old snow scraper and jumper cables.

Or you might want to buy a new set of jumper cables because the technology has just taken a big leap forward.

It used to be you had to be very careful to connect the positive and negative terminals of your vehicle's battery to those of the car that you're jumping or that was jumping you. But with Michelin's new Smart Jumper Cables, there's no such cautionary worry. The new technology eliminates the guesswork -- and the potential for flying sparks and other problems.

The wiring on the Michelin Smart Jumper Cables runs through a gray plastic box that contains a computerized circuit board that senses and adjusts the voltage running from one battery to the other (patented technology known as automatic polarity adjustment). The box also contains a surge protector to prevent damage to on-board electrical and engine computer management systems.

"Many motorists won't associate the power surge from traditional jumper cable use as the root cause of their vehicle's electrical system problem or failure because there can be a time lag between the two events," says Alexia Hayes, a product development engineer for Pylon Manufacturing Corp., a Deerfield Beach, Fla.-based automotive aftermarket supplier that produces the Smart Jumper Cables for Michelin. Pylon has been producing automotive aftermarket products for 40 years.

With the Michelin "smart" cables, the cable clamps can be attached to either the positive or negative battery terminals of the vehicle supplying the jump. At the other end, either of the clamps can be connected to the positive (red) terminal on the disabled vehicle and the other clamp connects to that vehicle's engine block to ground the system. Light-emitting diode (LED) lamps on the box illuminate to verify the technology has made the necessary adjustments. At that point you start the jumping vehicle, let it run for half a minute, then start the disabled vehicle and remove the clamps.

As with any cables, the disabled car may not start if its 12-volt battery is damaged or drained to a state where it has less than 6 residual volts of power.

Though primarily known as a tire company, Michelin sells products such as the new Smart Jumper Cables (and windshield wipers and maps and travel guides) as part of its effort to sustain and enhance mobility.

The Michelin Smart Jumper Cables retail for around $40 and are available at auto supply and other retailers. Visit www.getsmartcables.com to order cables or www.michelinsmartcablese.com for store locations or other information.