Glove compartment

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For the sealed container for handling hazardous materials, see glovebox.

A glove compartment or glovebox is a compartment built into the dashboard, located over the front-seat passenger's footwell in an automobile, often used for miscellaneous storage. The name derives from the original purpose of the compartment: to store gloves. In most vehicles, the glove compartment closes with a latch, with the option of being locked with a key (often necessary when using valet service, or when parking while the convertible top is down). Gloves were originally considered necessary equipment in early cars, many without a hard top, to prevent the cooling effect of fast-moving air from freeze numbing drivers' hands. Gloves are still considered necessary equipment on motorcycles for the same reason.

On some vehicles, the inside of the compartment's door may have an area for holding cups when open, and a section for holding a pen or pencil.

A glove compartment is occasionally referred to as a "jockey box," especially in the U.S. Pacific Northwest.