Ah, the cupholder, one of the most highly sought-after items in North American cars, and one that most consumers on this side of the Atlantic couldn’t imagine their life without it.

And yes, Ford does pay a whole lot of attention to cupholders when it comes to their North American vehicles and they’re making it a point to tell us, not only just how good they are in the 2017 Fusion, but also the science behind their design.

Once they replaced the traditional shifter with a rotary gear shift dial on the 2017 Fusion, designers were free to install two new cupholders, both available with ambient lighting. The new design seen now has the cupholders one in front of the other, with the front cupholder 6 inches (15 cm) forward from where it used to be in the 2016 model.

This move also allowed Ford to extend the armrest by nearly 3 inches (7.6 cm) while expanding the armrest bin by a half-gallon and adding an extra pocket to the front console.

As Jolanta Coffey, Ford’s instrument panel & console manager puts it “Being dissatisfied with your cupholders may be a minor annoyance, but it’s a daily one, which over time detracts from the overall car experience. On the other hand, when you like your cupholders, they can make your vehicle feel like home. For Fusion, we set out to develop a beautiful interior, paying attention to the details that make people fall in love and stay in love with their car.”

While researching this topic, Ford came up with quite a few interesting “cupholder facts”, such as how 79% of Americans use their cupholders for bottles, while 52% of people (overall) typically use them for cups of coffee and tea. Researchers also found that North American customers use large soft-drink cups more than other parts of the world and that they’re much more likely to drink on the go.

Another interesting fact is how Ford ensured that the Fusion’s cupholders are within reach for at least 95% of the population – in regards to driver ergonomics. And yes, when they’re not being used for beverages, cupholders are generally the place where we put our mobile phones (50%), whereas 28 of people use cupholders for loose change, 19% for food, 14% for gum or mints and 12% for wallets – though combos are possible too.

As shown in the video, Ford used its tactical robot arm RUTH in order to test out the Fusion’s cupholders and their spring-loaded resistance grips. RUTH actually measured how much effort it takes to insert a bottle and how much tension the grips exert as the cup is being pushed down.

All in all, the 2017 Fusion can hold up to six cupholders in the console, front door pockets and rear center armrest.

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