Automotive interiors today are dominated by electronics, with automakers racing to offer the biggest, brightest screens and the most advanced interfaces—whether controlled by touch, voice, or even gestures. But not every innovation has to revolve around digital displays. At Bentley, a group of engineers has set its sights on one of the simplest yet most essential features inside a car: the cupholder.
According to a recently filed patent, Bentley has envisioned what could be the most elaborate, high-tech cupholder ever designed. Far from being just a slot to hold your drink, this concept takes functionality and luxury to new heights. It certainly sounds impressive, but before it finds its way into a Flying Spur or Bentayga, we have a suggestion for the automaker.
Cupholders with Automatic Power Adjustments
Bentley’s patent reveals that the inspiration behind the design stems partly from the unique opportunities created by electric vehicles. With no driveshafts or exhaust systems running through the center tunnel, engineers suddenly have more room to work with—space that Bentley wants to put to luxurious use.
The rise of electric vehicles has reshaped interior design, eliminating traditional drivetrains and freeing up valuable space. Without bulky exhaust systems or driveshafts, center consoles can now be made significantly deeper than those in gasoline-powered cars. While this extra depth creates new storage opportunities, it also introduces challenges—particularly when it comes to cupholders. To keep drinks within easy reach, cupholder design must evolve alongside these larger, more spacious consoles.
Bentley’s solution to the deeper-console dilemma is as extravagant as you’d expect: automatic, power-adjustable cupholders. The system is designed not only to make beverages easier to reach but also to keep them secure and spill-resistant. Each cup recess can move up or down, allowing drinks to sit high for convenient access or lower for better stability.
Adding to this, a power-operated lid can slide into place to cover the cup, further reducing the risk of spills. When used together, the adjustable recess and lid can even position a drink so it nearly touches the cover, providing maximum protection against unwanted messes—all while maintaining Bentley signature sense of luxury.
All of these adjustments would be managed automatically through a network of motors, actuators, and sensors—potentially even cameras. Bentley patent suggests that owners could save presets tailored to their favorite drinks, while still retaining the option of manual control when needed. The system could also respond intelligently to driving conditions, such as opening when it detects an occupant entering the car or closing during hard braking or sharp cornering to prevent spills.
In true Bentley fashion, the concept doesn’t stop there. The patent even explores integrating heating and cooling functions into the cupholders, ensuring that a coffee stays hot—or a chilled drink remains refreshingly cold—while minimizing the risk of accidents along the way.
There’s One Key Element Missing
As clever and entertaining as Bentley high-tech cupholder idea may be, it still overlooks a fundamental issue. Nowhere in the patent is there mention of accommodating drinks of varying sizes and shapes—a challenge familiar to anyone who has ever tried to balance a tiny espresso cup or wedge an oversized Big Gulp into a car’s cupholder.
Without adjustable grips or flexible inserts, the fanciest spill-prevention systems won’t solve the basic problem of fit. In those cases, height adjustments and sliding lids are secondary concerns. If Bentley truly wants to claim the crown for the world’s best cupholder, it will need to address this crucial oversight before bringing its system to production.
