The
center console in an
automobileAn automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
refers to the control-bearing surfaces in the center of the front of the vehicle interior. The term is applied to the area beginning in the
dashboardA dashboard is a control panel placed in front of the driver of an automobile, housing instrumentation and controls for operation of the vehicle....
and continuing beneath it, and often merging with the transmission tunnel which runs between the front driver's and passenger's
seatsA car seat is the chair used in automobiles. Most car seats are made from inexpensive but durable material in order to withstand as much use as possible.-Ergonomy: Lumbar and thigh support:...
of many vehicles.
Traditionally vehicles with a
gear stickA gear stick is the lever used to change gear in a vehicle, such as an automobile, with manual transmission or several common forms of automatic transmission.The device is used to change gear; in a manual transmission vehicle this will normally be done whilst depressing...
have placed this control where the two areas of console and tunnel merge, or at the rear-most end of the console in front-wheel-drive vehicles without transmission tunnels. In some modern vehicles – particularly vans – the
gear stickA gear stick is the lever used to change gear in a vehicle, such as an automobile, with manual transmission or several common forms of automatic transmission.The device is used to change gear; in a manual transmission vehicle this will normally be done whilst depressing...
is mounted in the front, more vertical part of the center console to be within better reach of the driver without requiring a long
stalkStalk may refer to:* Plant stem, one of two main structural axes of a vascular plant* Leaf stalk, also known as Petiole* Flower stalk, also known as Peduncle* Stalking, an act of intrusive behavior or unwanted attention towards a person...
.
Increasingly, center consoles include a wide variety of storage compartments and cupholders, some of them with
refrigeratorA refrigerator is a common household appliance that consists of a thermally insulated compartment and a heat pump that transfers heat from the inside of the fridge to its external environment so that the inside of the fridge is cooled to a temperature below the ambient temperature of the room...
, in addition to the more traditional use as purely a surface for
instrumentationInstrumentation is defined as the art and science of measurement and control of process variables within a production, or manufacturing area....
(i.e. outside temperature display) and controls (
car audioCar audio/video , auto radio, mobile audio, 12-volt and other terms are used to describe the sound or video system fitted in an automobile. While 12-volt audio and video systems are also used, marketed, or manufactured for marine, aviation, and buses, this article focuses on cars as the most common...
).
Rear center console
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 the
Ford SierraThe Ford Sierra is a large family car that was built by Ford Europe from 1982 until 1993. It was designed by Uwe Bahnsen, Robert Lutz and Patrick le Quément. The code used during development was "Project Toni"....
). Although becoming less than ubiquitous, another common element is an ash tray. On some cars and SUV's, the center console has heater vents for the comfort of rear passengers.
See also
- Car audio/video
- Drop Stop
Drop Stop is a device designed to prevent items from falling down in between a car's front seats and center console. It was invented by Marc Newburger and Jeffrey Simon of Los Angeles....
- Head unit
A head unit, sometimes referred to as a "deck", is a component of a stereo system either in a vehicle or home cinema system which provides a unified hardware interface for the various components of an electronic media system. An antiquated name for a head unit is a receiver; this article focuses...
- Navigation system
A navigation system is a system that aids is navigation. Navigation systems may be entirely on board a vehicle or vessel, or they may be located elsewhere and communicate via radio or other signals with a vehicle or vessel, or they may use a combination of these methods.Navigation systems may be...
- Trip computer
A trip computer is an onboard computer device fitted to cars which can generally record distance travelled, average speed, average fuel consumption, and display real time fuel consumption information...