Cupholders in modern cars are a notoriously hit-or-miss feature. They can be too small, too big, flimsy, difficult to find at night, or simply overcomplicated. Mercedes-Benz aims to solve these common issues with a patent for an illuminated cupholder, recently filed with the European Patent Office. The design promises to address all these flaws at once, featuring subtle, indirect lighting, adjustable elements, and soft plastics that provide a better grip for cups of all sizes.
What Makes The Perfect Cupholder?
Mercedes-Benz has identified two key problems with modern cupholders: distracting or overly bright illumination and the inability to securely hold drinks of various sizes. Its new cupholder design addresses these issues with several innovative features:
- A ring-shaped light conductor that illuminates the cupholder clearly without being excessively bright
- An angled light shield that keeps direct light out of the driver’s eyes
- Spring-loaded arms that adjust to fiit drink holders of different sizes
- Soft plastics and coatings that grip the cup more securely
While none of these elements are entirely new, Mercedes claims that this patent is unique in combining all of them into one cohesive design.
New Standard for Cupholder Design
Consumers have grown skeptical of cupholder claims, so for Mercedes to stand out, it will need to set a new benchmark. The stated advantages won’t matter if the cupholders aren’t strategically placed, deep enough to hold large drinks, or able to securely grip them.
Another concern is how Mercedes plans to tackle the persistent issue of movable elements becoming stuck or nonfunctional after spills from sticky drinks. Since this design is a refinement of an existing feature, we can expect to see the new cupholder in Mercedes vehicles soon enough. Only then will we be able to determine whether it truly delivers on its promise.
