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Thecenter console (American English) orcentre console in anautomobile consists of the control-bearing surfaces in the center of the front of the vehicle interior. The term is applied to the area beginning in thedashboard and continuing beneath it, and often merging with thetransmission tunnel which runs between the front driver's and passenger'sseats of many vehicles.
Traditionally, vehicles with agear stick have placed this control where the two areas of console and tunnel merge, or at the rear-most end of the console infront-wheel-drive vehicles without transmission tunnels.[1] In some modern vehicles – particularly vans – thegear stick is mounted in the front, more vertical part of the center console to be within better reach of the driver without requiring a long stalk mounted on the steering column.
Increasingly, center consoles include a wide variety of storage compartments andcupholders, some of them (such as the Ford Flex Platinum Edition) with arefrigerator, in addition to the more traditional use as purely a surface forinstrumentation and controls.
The term "center console" (often Median console) often extends, as well, to the armrest between the driver's and passenger's seats, which in some vehicles (such as aToyota RAV4) features one or more storage compartments under the armrest.[2]
Some cars include additional rear center console, which commonly includes entertainment and climate system controls (and possibly display screens and air vents), auxiliary power outlets, and sometimes window controls when these are not in the doors (for example, in theFord Sierra). Another element is anashtray, though this is now less common. On some cars and SUVs, the center console has heater vents for the comfort of rear passengers.
Car interior | |
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Part of a series of articles oncars | |
| Instruments | |
| Controls | |
| Anti-theft | |
| Other elements | |
| Convenience | |
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