The Digital Interior
Wireless Charging Slot Size, Phone Stability, and Right-Hand Drive Placement
The Issue
Three problems with wireless charging were observed beyond raw charging performance. The physical recess in several cars was too narrow for larger flagship smartphones, meaning the phone could not sit flat or make full contact with the pad. The pad surface did not provide enough grip to keep the phone in position during cornering and braking, causing it to slide and lose the charging connection. And specific to the UK right-hand drive configuration, the wireless charging pad in several cars was positioned on the left side of the centre console, closest to the passenger rather than the driver. In cars with two charging positions side by side, only one was wireless.
Why It Matters
Wireless charging is most useful to the driver. In a right-hand drive car, the driver sits on the right. A charging pad on the left requires the driver to reach across their body to place and retrieve their phone, which is awkward when stationary and impossible safely while moving. The recess size problem means the feature simply does not work for a large number of current smartphone users. The grip problem means it stops working the moment the road curves. Together, these three issues can make wireless charging functionally unusable for the very person the feature is intended to serve.