A closer look
There was a time when operating a vehicle was practically synonymous with aggressive chain-smoking. Every available surface, from the center console to the rear armrests, featured a dedicated metal bucket for discarding lit embers. As cultural priorities shifted away from treating cabins like rolling chimney stacks, automakers quietly replaced the heavily standardized ash trays with awkwardly shaped coin holders that no one actually puts coins into. A whole generation now looks at these little felt-lined cubbies without ever knowing they were once fire hazards.
