In-car cup holders are a great example of a simple technology which is both extremely poor and totally resistant to change. Somewhere along the line we all agreed the best way to hold a beverage while driving was in a way which would, by definition, result in a potentially life-threatening spill.
It doesn't work.
This can change. A new Kickstarter project has come up with a new cup holder which fits into almost any car, and is able to keep your drink level even while your car is not.
The ‘Maksimatic Bullet Spill-Preventing Cup Holder System’, currently seeking $95,000 on Kickstarter, is designed to work in existing cup holders — unlike a version which previously went viral, but required manufacturers to build it into cars.
The new Bullet is designed to allow a cup to swivel inside a larger shell, giving it the space to move but not spill, while also keeping it secure. And it works with any cup holder - not just ones built into a vehicle at the factory.
Here’s the description:
“The Maksimatic Bullet is an aftermarket cup holder attachment which hosts a swiveling cup that hangs into a cavity, tilting up to about a 20 degree angle on a 360 degree joint. It essentially does everything that the Maksimatic cup holder does. It is not only gyroscopic (which means it is auto-leveling) ; it is especially, centrifugal (which means it will tilt during rapid changes in velocity such as braking, sharp turns etc) yay!”
‘Yays’ aside, it looks like the team have a good idea on their hands — and it’s patented — though obviously as with all Kickstarters your making a bit of a leap of faith if you choose to kick in $25 to buy one...