Which One is the Glove Box in a BMW?
1 Answers
In the BMW 3 Series, the glove box is the compartment above the front passenger's knees that can be opened. Origin of the Glove Box: In the early days of automotive technology, gloves were an essential item. For instance, when steering wheels lacked modern power assistance and were cold and heavy to operate, drivers needed to wear gloves. Similarly, gloves were required when manually cranking the engine with a starting handle. As a result, the compartment in front of the passenger seat was commonly referred to by drivers as "the place to put gloves," hence the colloquial name "glove box." Nowadays, it's mostly used for storing vehicle documents and is often called a storage compartment. Types of Glove Boxes: There are two types of glove box designs: fixed and flip-down. The fixed type features an internal compartment where the storage space is located within the dashboard itself. The flip-down type (Figure 3-21), on the other hand, has an internal compartment integrated with the door panel, with the storage space on the door. When the door is opened, the compartment flips out along with it. Flip-down glove boxes generally offer easier access to stored items for users. However, because additional structural elements are required on the door panel, the available internal space of the glove box is reduced, which is less ideal for item storage and makes it harder to incorporate internal components like glove box lighting. Conversely, fixed glove boxes provide more space but are less convenient for front-seat passengers to access items.
