I suspect the "disconnect battery and short ECU 12V & ground together" method is completely irrelavent on modern cars. It generally comes from old pre-OBD ECU with volatile memory.
But it gives you something to do while waiting for recovery !!
A cable for the throttle...similar.
A slider for heater controls, proper steel bumpers, points and condensor, I could carry nearly everything to fix my car on the road in a tupperware box!
Sound like a dinosaur now!