Cupholders

Early automobiles did not feature cup holders. The rough ride, bumpy roads, and requirement for both hands to operate the vehicle at all times combined to discourage people from attempting to drink in their cars. If drinks were carried, they were in a sealed container, a bottle or flask to be opened at a rest stop.

The development of the drive-in restaurant was a step in the cupholder's development. Servers would attach a tray that hooked over the car's side window, which needed to be left up a little for it to attach to. This gave a temporary table to hold drinks and food while eating in the car. The drive-in restaurant and cinema encouraged the development of built-in tray tables; often, the inside of the glove compartment lid, when folded down, had indentations to hold cups and cans. These were sufficient to hold beverages when the car was stopped, but not while in motion.

The later development of the drive-thru restaurant encouraged the development of better holders for drinks, and a more fast-paced life and longer commute times made many drivers desire to drink their morning coffee in the car on the way to work. The 1960s saw coffee cups with wide, flat, rubberised bases being sold, which would keep them steady on the dash or console. A little later, aftermarket cupholders began to be sold. These often clipped onto the door windows, although other designs wedge in between the front seats and the center console.

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Several Cupholders and Bottleholders are available on the Toyota Sienna

Built-in cupholders began to be available in the 1980s. Minivans were pioneers in their availability, and they still offer the greatest number of them. Over time, automotive cupholders have become larger and larger, and more sophisticated, so that they can hold a variety of different sizes of cup securely. Many offer spring-loaded holders that clasp the cup securely no matter how large or small. The development of ever-larger cups by U.S. fast-food chains and convenience stores has proven a challenge to automotive designers; many fast-food chains now offer 44 fl.oz. (1.3 L) drinks. The automobile cup-holder has also driven the development of "car cups" designed to fit within most cars' cup holders; these have a narrower base but taper outward after a short cylindrical distance.

The installation of cup holders in automobiles increased significantly after Stella Liebeck v. McDonald's Corporation where a 79 year old woman in the U.S. ordered hot coffee from a McDonald's restaurant. She then spilled the coffee on her lap and was seriously scalded. She subsequently sued McDonald's in a jury trial. Liebeck was awarded 2.7 million U.S. dollars in damages by the Jury, which was later reduced by the judge to $480,000. The case was settled privately for an undisclosed sum.

Many people, particularly in the United States, consider the design, location and number of cup holders in a vehicle to be one of the most important attributes influencing their vehicle purchase. Others take the contrary view; that they are irrelevant, and encourage a dangerous practice which distracts drivers from their primary task. Cars designed primarily for the U.S. market have tended to have larger cupholders, while those for which the primary market is outside of North America tend to have smaller ones.

Though most new cars have at least four cup holders, there are those consumers who may need more or may need one that is located closer to their lap, in which case there is the option to add an extra cupholder, simply by clipping in on.

Cup Holder Accessories

External Links

An article from CarSmart.com on how "Cup Holders Aren't Just for Coffee Anymore"