BMW, being one of the three biggest luxury German automakers, is always at the cutting edge of technology. It simply has to be if it wants to remain competitive with rivals like Mercedes and Audi, so it is working on next-generation tech like solid-state batteries while also finding ways of making vehicle production more sustainable than ever before. Simultaneously, the German automaker is pushing the boundaries of sports car performance and limousine luxury. With all this in mind, it may seem a little strange to think that Munich's magicians have adapted the concept behind a toy into a functional - if frivolous - feature.

In patent documents uncovered by CarBuzz this week, we learn that BMW has adapted a toy/decorative novelty known as the 3D pin art board into a clever enhancement for console storage. In these documents, BMW's idea sees the traditional storage bin of a vehicle interior fitted with "an adaptable object fixation device" that is comprised of "a guiding plate and a plurality of pins defining a pin matrix." What makes this interesting is that the documents state that the pins would each feature a "magnetic end portion at a lower end of the guide section." Think of the magnetism as a sort of memory foam for your pocket contents.

Essentially, this turns a console storage bin into a space where your keys, phone, wallet, or other miscellaneous items are held in place by their own shape and weight, as well as the magnetism of the pins. BMW says that it has come up with this creation due to the fact that existing storage solutions, even those with non-slip rubber mats, "are pre-compartmented by design and engineering and do not offer a flexible adaptation very well." In the proposed system, you can drop your phone into a bin and forget about it, even if you're in something that you'd drive rather vigorously - a BMW M3, for example.

The premise is genius, but we can't help but think of how much dirt will get trapped between the pins. Gross.