Center console
The center console is the part of the dashboard in an automobile that begins at about knee height between the two front footwells and extends to the position of the armrest between the front seats.
This area often includes the selector lever , which in many vehicles is located between the front driver and front passenger seats. The center console can also include an armrest for the driver and front passenger. On the vertical level, the center console is used for comfort control and display elements (ventilation / air conditioning , car radio , navigation system ). Operating and display elements can, however, also lie on the horizontal plane together with the selector lever. The center console often also has smaller storage compartments, cup holders and cigarette lighter . In modern cars, the cigarette lighter are usually provided with a 12 volt on-board power socket .
After the center console was dominated by separate systems such as radio and ventilation for a long time, it is increasingly being occupied by integrated infotainment systems in modern vehicles : The previously individual switching and functional elements are combined and operated using a central control (e.g. iDrive ) and display element ( liquid crystal display ) operated. Advantage: the operation of the systems is more uniform and can be networked better, disadvantage: individual components cannot be exchanged or retrofitted.